A MAGIC THREAD

When the Los Angeles wildfires tore through neighborhoods and our SoCal neighbors’ lives it left a trail of destruction that we will never forget. What I will remember most is not just the devastation, but how Angelenos came together to embrace the fire victims across the Southland.

I volunteered at a fire relief event at Dodger Stadium, distributing essentials to families who had lost everything. I saw more than loss on their grieving faces, there was resilience, gratitude, and overwhelming strength.

As a filmmaker, I wanted to do something that could encapsulate those emotions, but not dwell on them. Instead of documenting the ferocity of the flames, the post apocalyptic charred remains, or the possible bureaucratic blunders, I chose to tell a quieter, more intimate story -- seen through the innocent eyes of a child who has lost so much, including her beloved stuffed animal.

As a father, I know the powerful bond a child can have with their stuffie. I also know the lengths I would go to restore that sense of normalcy for my own son. So I followed that idea, which took us on an emotional journey about rebuilding, not replacing; of reclaiming memories instead of mourning their loss.

-Director Patrick Green