'A Private War' Director Tackling True-Life California Wildfire Survival Story
Oscar-nominated and Emmy winner Matthew Heineman, whose last film was "A Private War" will write and direct the true story of one family's miraculous survival during the deadly 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California.
The film, called "Paradise," is based on the true story of Heather Roebuck, who gave birth via C-section minutes before the hospital went up in flames in the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history.
Separated from her newborn and fiancé, she desperately searched the town of Paradise for them, despite being unable to walk.
Focus Features optioned the life rights for Roebuck, her fiancé Bret Harles and their children, as well as several Butte County emergency medical workers who became impromptu firefighters as the group was trapped by the fire.
Heineman made the jump from documentary to narrative feature film with last year's "A Private War," starring Rosamund Pike as war correspondent Marie Colvin.
He's won two DGA Awards for his documentaries (for "City of Ghosts" and the Oscar-nominated "Cartel Land") and was nominated for a DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First Time Feature Film Director for "A Private War."
Martin Scorsese is the only other filmmaker ever nominated for both narrative and documentary DGA Awards.
[Via Deadline]