Forget “Brat Summer”, Charli XCX is having a real moment in February. With the release of mockumentary The Moment, and 100 Nights of Hero & Erupcja hitting the festival circuit.
This indie film was actually shot in secret in 2024, during her breakout tour. Charli plays Bethany, a Londoner returning to Warsaw on holiday with her besotted boyfriend Rob, before a flight delay due to volcanic ash sparks a reconnection with an old friend, Nel.
The term ‘Eruption’ can refer to “a bursting forth or out, as of lava from a volcano”, or “a sudden outburst, as of emotion or social discontent”.
Bethany feels like a force of nature. Her behaviour should repel those close to her, but instead draws them further in, like an emotional black hole.
Bethany and Nel joke that whenever they cross paths, the result is an eruption. A connection that began with the volcanic ash cloud in 2010, which this reviewer remembers well, as it caused travel chaos when attending the Cannes Film Festival!
As artist Claude points out to them, a volcanic eruption is not a joke. Instead, it can result in disruption and even death. And the person in the direct path of the emotional eruption on Bethany’s part? Her long-suffering boyfriend…
To his credit, Will Madden plays it just right to have Bethany, and the audience, questioning why she is with him. Her spontaneity seemingly is at odds with his quiet, methodical nature, as evidenced by his research into Michelin guide-recommended restaurants to attend.
Charli XCX delivers an incredibly naturalistic performance. No hint of ego displayed as she continually skirts the line between alluring and annoying. She also has electric chemistry with Lena Góra.
With five films out in 2026 alone, she is already compiling quite the IMDb listing. The camera loves her, and on the evidence here, if the singing career ever dries up, she can easily transition to this full-time.
The film features a voiceover narration that chimes in to provide context or backstory to the characters and events. The voice does not belong to any of the protagonists, but knows every detail of their lives and times in the city. One could assume that the city of Warsaw itself is narrating our story.
Ohs’s camera feels like a fly on the wall. The eyes and ears of Warsaw are keeping track of the trio. The way it is captured makes the film feel like an anti-Before Sunrise. Rather than a European city being used as the backdrop for a blossoming romance, here it exposes the cracks in a relationship.
Unlike a real volcanic eruption, the movie may not be earth-shattering. However, Pete Ohs’s film casts a beguiling spell. One familiar to anyone who has ever found, or lost, love whilst on holiday.
Erupcja had its UK premiere at Glasgow Film Festival on February 27
Rating: 
Director: Pete Ohs
Stars: Charlie XCX, Lena Gora, Will Madden, Jeremy O. Harris
Runtime: 71 minutes
Country: USA/Poland
