Documenting destruction and chasing a song
Whether you're into local history, are ready to take a deep dive into the story behind an iconic song, or want to go on a stunning exploration into the nature of fire, there is something for you during Documentary Days, at Lincoln City’s Bijou Theatre.
Beginning this Friday, Sept. 2, with screenings of “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, a Song” and “Pixieland,” a film all about the amusement park that once graced the Lincoln City/Otis area, the series ends on Tuesday, Sept 6, with the final showing of the Leonard Cohen movie.
On Saturday, enjoy a screening of the highly heralded film “Elemental,” a documentary “inviting us to reimagine our relationship with fire.” Featuring top experts on fire, forests, climate and home safety along with indigenous firelighters, the film aims to give viewers a better understanding of fire.
Executive Producer Ralph Bloemers will attend the screening, along with Rep. David Gomberg, whose home narrowly escaped the blaze that devastated so many neighboring properties.“Understanding fire is embracing paradox,” Bloemers said. “About 72,000 fires burn each year in the US and only two percent get away, but when one of those fires is in your neighborhood, statistics lose any meaning.”
The film has incredible footage, which was partly “luck” on the part of the filmmakers.
“We started this project five years ago in the wake of the Eagle Creek fire and started producing short pieces,” Bloemers said. “Then I received a grant and was able to buy equipment that improved our ability to take footage from the air, do time-lapse photography and to get footage in much more remote places. We thought we were done in early 2020, but clearly were not.”Though the result is some breathtaking footage from the fires in both Oregon and California that raged that year, the film, beautifully narrated by Actor David Oyelowo, doesn’t aim to only show exciting fire footage, it also educates and provides helpful advice.
“My greatest hope with this film is that people see it and feel empowered to take steps and as a result we will have much more fire-prepared and fire-resilient communities,” he said. “Survivors that have seen it were blown away, in a good way, and really want more people to see it.”
“Elemental” plays on Saturday at 2 pm and on Monday at 7:30 pm. The proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to North Lincoln Fire & Rescue.
The Bijou Theatre is located at 1624 NE Hwy. 101 in Lincoln City. For more information and the full screening schedule, go to Cinemalovers.com.