Incandescence

Filmed/Released: 2024/2025
Festival: Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF)
Genre: documentary
Main Characters: Filmed with respect and gratitude on the traditional, unceded land of the Syilx Okanagan People

Written and Directed by
Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper

Producer
Shirley Vercruysse

Line Producer
Jennifer Roworth

Director of Photography
Vince Arvidson

Editor
Hart Snider

Sound Designer
Velcrow Ripper

The Plot: Everyday living meets seasonal fire danger. To learn, a community advances from indigenous people via controlled burns.

The main story lines are: Nature and wildlife do not stand still, during fire season. Controlled burns protect your property from large fires.

The best (worst) bit is about: Listening to personal accounts from helicopter pilots and fire fighters provided valuable perspectives. For example, one Rider Ventures fire fighter said you have to respect fires; otherwise, it will defeat you. It is like poetic literature how these voices describe fire as dancing with the wind gracefully and carries itself leaves you in awe. If you ever wanted to follow the foot steps of a fire fighter this documentary gives you a glimpse of the methods, tactics and skills involved. You hear about how a fire fighter's life was almost taken and how working with your partner can save your life. You hear accounts from everyday living, how owners want to stay on their property, and suddenly face fire evacuation orders. Fire fighters study fires in the midst of a wildfire; yet, understand that the wind with fire can change everything. Fire fighters always have an escape route. "Trees grow, they replace, lives don't," said one fire fighter. Rank 6 fires usually leave fire fighters to evacuate. Listening to survivors emotions and how they process what happened may help someone one day cope as well. One woman said sitting out by the lake did not sound the same as she heard the forest cry as if it was hurting. Yet, when Winter came you get the sense that the forest was repairing itself and healing. The forest did heal, which was great to see. Learning from the fire reminds us to place sprinklers around the property, and perform controlled burns to save your property. If your house is burned down and you have no insurance you may be helped by Mennonite Disaster Service to rebuild one for you by volunteers. Until it happens all over again, except this time more animals, people and houses are saved.

I enjoyed (I didn't enjoy) watching this film because: I found the opening scene of a lightening strike in the middle of a forest as realistic for starting a wildfire. The aerial views from above were eye-catching. The music was chilling. The audio was clear as you could hear the helicopter chopping the air and the fire cracking down below. You get to see large smoke views from above that you normally would not see any place else. The cinematography has various camera angles from the camerapersons perspective who is capturing and documenting everything. Yet, there are plenty of camera angles capturing fire fighting from the fire fighters point of view. There are camera angles from animals as well, such as dog, hawk, or sea otter.

I would (I wouldn't) recommend this film to someone because: I recommend this heroic and heartbreaking film, due to its fantastic message of controlled burns.

5 out 5 stars