World Premiere of the Netflix Original Documentary Series Fire Chasers To Take Place Sept. 5 at the KCET Cinema Series In Partnership with D.C.’s Renowned Environmental Film Festival
CONTACT:
JP Shields
jpshields@kcet.org
747.201.5866
Q&A Following Screening With Deadline’s Chief Film Critic and Host of KCET Must See Movies Pete Hammond
Burbank, Calif. – Aug. 7, 2017 – KCET, the nation’s largest independent public television station, announced today details for the world premiere of the Netflix original documentary series Fire Chasers at the KCET Cinema Series, a weekly screening series in Los Angeles that shows the best of Hollywood, independent and festival films prior to their release in theatres, in partnership with the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF), which for over 25 years has been the world’s premier showcase of environmentally-themed films. Fire Chasers is a searing and intense documentary series that takes viewers into the heart of California’s devastating recent wildfires alongside the brave men and women of Cal Fire and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Fire Chasers is a Netflix Original Documentary produced by Appian Way and Original Productions.
The screening event, which is the only public screening prior to the series launch on Netflix this fall, will take place on Tues., Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. PT at the Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403) in Santa Monica. Following the screening of the first one-hour episode, KCET Cinema Series Host and Deadline.com Chief Film Critic Pete Hammond will moderate a Q&A panel discussion about the film and the issues around fire prevention. The fall KCET Cinema Series is sponsored by Deadline.com, the official media sponsor for the series.
Launching on Netflix this fall, Fire Chasers follows the brave men and women of CAL FIRE and the Los Angeles County Fire Department whose mission is to battle the flames that erupt most ferociously – in both populated and natural areas – during fire season, which threaten wildlife, natural terrain, and tens of thousands of homeowners. Climate change, altered vegetation patterns and an increase in fire-prone landscapes have multiplied those crises, forcing firefighters across the state to confront epic disasters that cost lives and millions of dollars in damage, and cause a massive scarring of the earth.
Alongside the stories of the Cal Fire and LA County Fire teams are those of new recruits training to join their brothers in the blaze; the women who’ve chosen to train at “Fire Camp” while serving time at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Corona, altering their life’s direction by opting to become “swampers” (firefighters in charge of tools and equipment); and California artists Jeff Frost and Andrea Dale, who document the apocalyptic-looking damage in photos and artifact retrieval. Fire Chasers is a gripping, dramatic look at the vigilance and valor that come with trying to stop nature’s most unstoppable force.
To help promote the event, KCET has created a special web destination at kcet.org/firechasers, which will showcase several recent articles exploring California’s relationship with fire and stories related to fire prevention. As an example, KCET recently brought to light how Native California tribes utilized slow burns to boost forest health and increase crop yields in the series TENDING THE WILD.
KCET's Cinema Series is celebrating its 12th anniversary at the historic Aero Theatre in 2017. Alternating between the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and the ArcLight Theatre in Sherman Oaks, KCET’s quarterly film series celebrates the most anticipated independent and studio films prior to their release in theaters. A lively Q&A with the film’s talent or filmmakers follows each screening. Films from this summer’s Cinema Series season have included a critically acclaimed lineup that includes The Big Sick, Good Fortune, The Hero, Patticake$, War for the Planet of the Apes, The Only Living Boy in New York, The Beguiled and the current box office juggernaut Dunkirk. The upcoming fall series will kick off on Tues., Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. with the critically acclaimed and much anticipated Logan Lucky, directed by Steven Soderbergh.
To learn more about the KCET Cinema Series and to register to attend the film screenings, please visit kcet.org/cinemaseries. Join the conversation on social media using #KCETCinemaSeries
About KCET
On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central California. KCET offers a wide range of award-winning local programming as well as the finest public television programs from around the world. Throughout its 50-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and children's programs, its outreach and community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. For additional information about KCET productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org. KCET is a part of the KCETLink Media Group. Select original programming from KCET is also available for streaming on Hulu, Apple TV and Roku platforms.
ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL
The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF) is the world’s premier showcase of environmentally themed films. Since 1993 our mission has been to celebrate Earth and inspire understanding and stewardship of the environment through the power of film. Each March in Washington, D.C., we present 100+ films to audiences of more than 30,000. Filmmaker and topical discussions are an important part of our events, which happen at museums, embassies, libraries, universities and local theaters throughout the city. We also present a year-round screening series and community events. Many of our screenings are free, and our Washington, DC location offers the unique opportunity for films and filmmakers to reach national and international lawmakers and decision-makers. Our impact continues to grow both in DC and beyond.
DCEFF is the largest green film festival in the world; the longest-running in the United States.
To learn more, visit dceff.org.
