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Fire in Paradise

Play trailer Poster for Fire in Paradise TV-MA 2019 40m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
A small wildfire in Butte County, Calif., rapidly grows out of control, bringing death and devastation to a town called Paradise.
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Fire in Paradise

Critics Reviews

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Aaron Bady The New Republic 11/08/2019
If Fire in Paradise is a terrifyingly effective movie, I can't help ask: effective at what? At times, it feels like voyeurism, exploitation, even like a snuff film. It feels ghoulish to watch it. Go to Full Review
G. Allen Johnson San Francisco Chronicle 10/30/2019
3/4
Directors Zackary Canepari and Oakland resident Drea Cooper utilize news, social media footage and animated maps to set the stage, then delve deeper into the first-person experience with their subjects. Go to Full Review
Christopher Campbell Nonfics (Substack) 11/09/2020
One of the scariest movies I've seen in years. Go to Full Review
Alison Foreman Mashable 12/06/2019
Whether you see Fire in Paradise as a cautionary tale, wake-up call, or simply great storytelling, it is paramount that you do see it. Go to Full Review
John Serba Decider 11/12/2019
Fire in Paradise is a difficult watch. But it's a must-watch. Go to Full Review
Tarpley Hitt The Daily Beast 11/02/2019
...what makes Fire in Paradise essential viewing isn't anything the subjects said or the directors captured. It comes from the amateurs, from the cellphone videos... Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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adam m 01/14/2023 A few things spoilt this documentary. Firstly, the fast pulsing sound designed to create tension was really annoying, badly mixed and overly long. Secondly, I completely sympathise with the survivors but the volunteer fire tech was really on the edge and not ready to recount his ordeal. I'd also like to have known more about why it was so devastating - for example, why is there only one road out? why were people in their homes for so long when it was known that the fire was out of control? Why don't they have fire roads? Why do people in the US build using wood so much? Still worth a watch as it's only 40 minutes, but there's better sources out there. See more aqsw d 11/30/2022 A few thoughts - ca is a tinderbox and this will continue on and on - who cares? it's california, probably the most anti-american state in the union - no sympathy for the ca devil - why didn't the dumbass authorities keep traffic moving? it was STOPPED - total fail - how do you prevent your house from burning in ca? build out of concrete? have a well that sprays water over house? it's a real option to simply get rid of trees to create safety - but again - who cares? it's ca See more Michael M 11/17/2021 Fire in Paradise is a terrifying documentary short which memorializes a tragedy that many of its interviewees feared would be quickly forgotten. While it follows many of the conventions of television documentaries about accidents and natural disasters, the existence of a large amount of harrowing amateur footage of the Camp Fire makes this film to be far more impactful than most of its brethren, painting a picture of a hellish scenario which tragically cost 85 people their lives. While some reviewers would disagree, I did not find the film exploitative; disturbing, definitely, but unlike some documentaries I've had the misfortune to watch, this film did not feel like cheap voyuerism. See more 07/28/2021 Wow so powerful ! Never knew all the details of the Camp fire and the hell the people of Paradise California had to Indore in that fire storm. See more 12/09/2020 Fire in Paradise is an incredibly scary 40-minute documentary film that covers the wildfire caused by an electrical spark in Butte County, CA, which was considered as the most destructive wildfire in CA history. After doing research, about 153,335 acres were burned, destroying thousands of homes and billions of dollars lost. This goes to show how deadly the wildfire threat can be in CA and it is highly effective in doing so. The documentary mostly captures the haunting experience of the people during those fires, and the struggle in containing the fires within this state. It shows how easy CA can ignite up, and that we should try and prepare to upcoming fires (because they will happen). My only issue within this documentary is that it does not capture the full scope of the fire, which I feel heightens the effect of what it only shows. Overall, the documentary is a must-watch for people (especially in 2020) living in California. See more 03/21/2020 Overall its a very good documentary short. See more Read all reviews
Fire in Paradise

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Movie Info

Synopsis A small wildfire in Butte County, Calif., rapidly grows out of control, bringing death and devastation to a town called Paradise.
Director
Drea Cooper, Zackary Canepari
Producer
Gary Kout
Production Co
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 1, 2019
Runtime
40m
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