This is a story about how a husband and wife immigrated from India to Northern Alberta to start a new life. It’s a story about the different people that came to call Fort McMurray home and how 30 years after the filmmaker was born there, his home-town almost burned to the ground.

From the ashes of one of the worst natural disasters in Canadian history, this documentary explores the restoration of hope in a community that faced tragedy and devastation.

Var Bhalla (narrator and guiding character) returns to his hometown after ‘the Beast’ ravaged the city. The repercussions of the fire introduces viewers to the characters in the story and the life -changing effects it had on them.

The story focuses on the immigration of the Bhalla family before shifting to the relationship between the filmmaker and his brother as they reflect on life growing up in the isolated north and connect with members in the community.

Age appropriate for: All Audiences
Language: English

Director: Var Bhalla | 52-mins. | Canada | 2017
Documentary