Plan to be at the Columbia Theatre in Cranbrook on October 25 for a screening of The Fire in Our Hearts, followed by a live Q&A with Mark Hall and filmmaker Rachel Ahtila.

The documentary follows rural British Columbia communities during the 2018 wildfires, when emergency resources were stretched thin and residents chose to return home and defend their land, homes, livestock and livelihoods.

It centres the community of the Southside, the Cheslatta Carrier Nation, and neighbouring residents of the remote region, who relied on community cooperation, unified leadership of the diverse community, and generations of knowledge to fight the fire.

In the aftermath, the burn not only uncovered the long-erased site of a Cheslatta village, bringing a suppressed piece of history back to the surface, but also became the birthplace of a unified society that created a blueprint for initial response for remote communities.

The film was recently named Best Environmental Film at the Activists Without Borders Film Festival in London but has become an international movement and award-winning documentary and official selection at festivals from Whistler to Montreal to Abu Dhabi.

Rachel, one of the film’s cinematographers, associate producers, and a past resident of the region, will share what it took to bring this story to the screen. She’ll be joined by Cranbrook’s own Mark Hall, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Wild Origins Canada Foundation, a third-generation trapper and a wildlife conservation advocate.

Bring your questions about the film, the people behind it, and what communities can learn about living with fire and caring for the land.

Purchase tickets here.

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