Bring Your Own Brigade

Play trailer

2:23

Bring Your Own Brigade

R

Released Aug 6, 2021

2h 7m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

100%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In early November 2018, raging wildfires killed 88 residents and destroyed tens of thousands of homes in the cities of Malibu and Paradise, two very different California communities. In her new verité documentary, two-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lucy Walker captures the heroism and horror of that unfathomable disaster. Her character-driven exposé, Bring Your Own Brigade, also answers a question humanity can no longer afford to ignore: Why are catastrophic wildfires increasing in number and severity around the world, and can anything be done to lessen the staggering death and destruction they cause? Drawing on hundreds of hours of astonishing wildfire footage and featuring interviews with survivors, firefighters and scientists, the film reveals that short of solving global warming there are numerous, often simple steps that can be taken to not only mitigate the catastrophic devastation caused by wildfires, but restore health and balance to woodlands that have been mismanaged for far too long. But does society have what it takes to put aside short-term interests and outmoded thinking to confront a crisis that's quite literally burning our world to the ground?

Watch on Paramount+

Stream Now

Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

This film is often captivating and enthralling... But I don't know what I'm supposed to take from all this.

Aug 10, 2021

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

A detailed piece of work, a surprising angle on a terrifying new reality about living in certain parts of the world, and an inquiry as to whether or not we're going to do anything about it.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 6, 2021

Full Review

William Bibbiani

TheWrap

More than willing to force you into these nightmare scenarios, burning down the audience's emotional defenses to convey the gravitas and immediacy of these ongoing, escalating disasters.

Aug 5, 2021

Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

An important, science-filled, examination of two California megafires and what we can learn from them about forest management.

Rated: 5/5

Feb 5, 2022

Full Review

Daniel Gorman

In Review Online

While occasionally unfocused, Walker deftly navigates a tangled melange of tangential threads that eventually coalesce into a tapestry of human suffering.

Nov 23, 2021

Full Review

Ricardo Gallegos

But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Despite brushing over some important themes, creates a thoughtful examination of both human stubbornness and fragility.

Rated: 7.5/10

Nov 14, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Geke g

Lucy Walker. The creator of high level documentaries

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/30/24

Full Review

Munkhchimeg T

Really detailed and crucial movie. Liked the honesty 👍

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/30/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Lucy Walker

Director

Lucy Walker

Writer

Lucy Walker

Producer

Julian Cautherley

Producer

Holly Becker

Producer

Lyn Davis Lear

Producer

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Every Body

98%

96%

Every Body

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Every Body

Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS

100%

80%

Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS

Generation Wealth

46%

52%

Generation Wealth

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Generation Wealth

Convergence: Courage in a Crisis

82%

%

Convergence: Courage in a Crisis

Watchlist

One Child Nation

98%

86%

One Child Nation

Watchlist

TRAILER

for One Child Nation

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Bring Your Own Brigade: Trailer 1

2:23

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

In early November 2018, raging wildfires killed 88 residents and destroyed tens of thousands of homes in the cities of Malibu and Paradise, two very different California communities. In her new verité documentary, two-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lucy Walker captures the heroism and horror of that unfathomable disaster. Her character-driven exposé, Bring Your Own Brigade, also answers a question humanity can no longer afford to ignore: Why are catastrophic wildfires increasing in number and severity around the world, and can anything be done to lessen the staggering death and destruction they cause? Drawing on hundreds of hours of astonishing wildfire footage and featuring interviews with survivors, firefighters and scientists, the film reveals that short of solving global warming there are numerous, often simple steps that can be taken to not only mitigate the catastrophic devastation caused by wildfires, but restore health and balance to woodlands that have been mismanaged for far too long. But does society have what it takes to put aside short-term interests and outmoded thinking to confront a crisis that's quite literally burning our world to the ground?

Director: Lucy Walker
Producer: Lucy Walker, Julian Cautherley, Holly Becker, Lyn Davis Lear, Martha Mitchell
Screenwriter: Lucy Walker
Distributor: CBSN Films
Production Co: XTR, Artemis Rising Foundation, Tree Tree Tree, Topic Studios
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 6, 2021, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $8.3K
Runtime: 2h 7m

Most Popular at Home Now