Ron Howard’s ‘Rebuilding Paradise’ is a painful, touching tribute to Camp Fire victims

“Rebuilding Paradise” will be a difficult watch for many Northern California residents because it so vividly recalls the devastation of the most-deadly wildfire in California history.

The documentary film – available to stream Friday, July 31, through the websites of theaters nationwide – starts by recounting the harrowing events of Nov. 8, 2018. For many in Paradise, a midsize Butte County city, those events included white-knuckle driving through thick smoke and ash as fire closed in upon them. Escape from the raging blaze was not a given, and director Ron Howard makes that clear using footage from both residents and first responders. In fact, one of the most touching moments in Howard’s movie comes early on when a family clears the smoke and flames that had been menacing it since evacuation. At last, the group is assured it will reach the safety of nearby Chico, and viewers hear the emotion and relief in everyone’s voices.

Of course, many stories from “Rebuilding Paradise” are less life-affirming. We learn about some of the 85 Paradise residents who perished in the blaze. We learn of the ups and downs that the film’s key players experienced in the months after the fire. We learn of the of the struggles that go into rebuilding a community that has lost not only most of its infrastructure but been so thoroughly decimated that a gathering at the high school football field can’t be OK’d until dozens of scarred, potentially dangerous trees have been removed.

Although many documentaries enlist the help of a superstar narrator – think Morgan Freeman or Leonardo DiCaprio – Howard lets real-life players tell the story, cinema verité style. All the talking comes from interviewees who lived through the events depicted, and these moments are supplemented by footage and audio from government meetings, newscasts and citizens. This makes the entire affair feel that much more immediate, and that is why it could be so painful for survivors. When one watches “Rebuilding Paradise,” there is no escaping the horror of what happened.

That said, this is an important film. The Camp Fire and its fallout had a significant impact on the lives of countless Californians, including those who did not directly experience the harrowing events of Nov. 8. People throughout the Sacramento Valley were bathed in smoke for weeks following the blaze. Many Californians invited displaced family or friends into their homes or met new neighbors who – unwilling to rebuild in Paradise – relocated to another city. The political fallout from the blaze has also been significant, and the film delves into residents’ feelings about PG&E and the power lines blamed for the fire. It also looks at the significant bureaucratic barriers confronted by anyone who attempted to return to their beloved town.

There is a lot to cover in 95 minutes, but Howard and his crew do a good job of both recounting the tragedy and – as the title of the movie implies – the efforts to rebuild. It isn’t easy to tell a story like this sans narration, but Howard used his decades of experience to find the perfect footage to stitch things together, allowing a coherent, linear tale that goes from the morning of the fire to the slow resurrection of the town.

Although there aren’t really stars in a documentary, good directors pick key, real-life players to deliver through lines. In “Rebuilding Paradise,” many residents relate their stories, but extra time is devoted to a handful of people, including former superintendent of the Paradise School District Michelle John and her husband, Phil; former mayor Steve “Woody” Culleton; Paradise Police officer Matt Gates; and Paradise High School psychologist Carly Ingersoll. Each person interviewed fleshes out the story, allowing viewers to digest the events from a variety of perspectives.

In truth, the film doesn’t allow enough time to fully capture the depth of the Camp Fire tragedy or the herculean efforts to rebuild. It is, however, a well-executed, deftly paced recounting of the events that brought us to this stage of redevelopment. It is also a fascinating account of resilience and the way natural disasters shape our lives both physically and psychologically. Because of that, it is a movie that should intrigue not only those who know Paradise, but anyone with an interest in human tragedy and the healing process that follows.

AT A GLANCE

Rebuilding Paradise

Directed by: Ron Howard

Rated: PG-13

How to see it: Online rentals available beginning July 31 through an assortment of Northern California theaters, including Varsity Theatre in Davis, The Pageant Theatre in Chico and Del Oro Theatre in Grass Valley

Learn more: https://films.nationalgeographic.com/rebuilding-paradise/

Critical rating: ☆☆☆☆ (out of 4)

This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 10:16 AM.