Jeremy O. Harris and Pete Ohs on 'Erupcja'

In this episode of All of It, host Alison Stewart speaks with director Pete O's and co-writer/actor Jeremy O'Harris about their collaborative, improvisational film *Erupsia*, a story about love, memory, and serendipity set in Warsaw. The film was co-written by its actors—O'Harris, Charlie XCX, Lena Gore, and Will Madden—and made through a radical, process-driven approach: shooting scenes in order without a full script, writing dialogue the night before, and discovering the story as they go. The narrative centers on Bethany (Charlie XCX) and her past connection with Nell (Lena Gore), tied together by a series of coincidental volcanic eruptions that mirror emotional eruptions in their lives. The film’s title, derived from the Polish word for eruption, reflects both literal and metaphorical upheavals. The production was deeply influenced by chance—such as the real eruption of Iceland’s Edna volcano during filming—and cultural authenticity, including a voiceover recorded by a Polish man named Jacek, who had regained his voice after a stroke. Both creators emphasize the importance of play, vulnerability, and human connection in art, rejecting the commercial and rigid structures of traditional filmmaking. Their partnership, rooted in friendship and shared sensibilities, rekindled O'Harris’s sense of creative joy, reminding him that artistic freedom never expires.