Hollywood has made billions of dollars on films dealing with cataclysmic disasters. Audiences love watching the world get ravaged by tornadoes, earthquakes, meteor strikes, or even alien invasions. But we never see what happens after the dust settles and communities have to pick up the pieces. Well, that’s the story of Ron Howard’s new film, “Rebuilding Paradise,” except instead of the film being a fictional account of the aftermath of a disaster, the documentary is based on the real tragedy that befell a California town.
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As seen in the trailer for “Rebuilding Paradise,” the film follows the story of the aftermath of one of the worst wildfires in history and the way that it destroyed the town of Paradise, California in only a matter of a few hours in 2018. Now, the town is reduced to ash and rubble, with its residents unsure of what to do next. Without homes, schools, hospitals, or clean drinking water, Paradise is, for all intents and purposes, destroyed. But that is just the beginning, as the film shows the community rising up to try to rebuild what they lost.
As mentioned, the film is directed by Ron Howard, who is no stranger to documentary work. Over his career, he has directed several documentaries, including the recent “Pavarotti” film that was released in 2019. He’s also directed “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week” and “Made in America.”
“Rebuilding Paradise” will arrive in select theaters on July 31. You can watch the trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
On the morning of Nov. 8, 2018, a devastating firestorm engulfed the picturesque city of Paradise, California. By the time the Camp Fire was extinguished, it had killed 85 people, displaced 50,000 residents and destroyed 95% of local structures. It was the deadliest U.S. fire in 100 years — and the worst ever in California’s history. REBUILDING PARADISE, from Academy Award-winning director RON HOWARD, is a moving story of resilience in the face of tragedy, as a community ravaged by disaster comes together to recover what was lost and begin the important task of rebuilding.