Túmeabrasasisanadaptationof“SeaFoam”,achapterfromCesarePavese’s“DialoghiconLeucò”publishedin1947.TheancientGreekpoetSapphoandthenymphBritomartismeetbesidetheseaandhaveaconversationaboutloveanddeath.Sapphoissaidtohavethrownherselfintotheoceanfromlovesickness.Britomartisapparentlytumbledoffacliffandintothewaterwhilefleeingfromaman.Together,thetwodiscussthestoriesandimagesthathaveemergedaroundthemtotryandunderstand,atleastforamoment,thebittersweetnatureofdesire.Thefilmadaptsnotonlythetextbutalsofootnotesandgapsinthestory.Forexample,thefactthat,in1950,adesperatePavesecommittedsuicideinahotelroomwiththisbookbyhisside.OrthatSappho’spoemshavesurvivedonlyinfragments.Orthatseafoamishistoricallyandscientificallyassociatedwithfertilityandbacteria,thatis,withlifeitself.“Everythingdiesintheseaandcomesbacktolife,”saysBritomartis.TúmeabrasasintroducesnewreadingsandtranslationsthatgobeyondthemythsbyPaveseandSappho.
