EXCLUSIVE: The documentary When the Sky Turned Orange, from the production company ColorCreative co-founded by Issa Rae, Deniese Davis and Talitha Watkins, is set to premiere February 10 at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.
When the Sky Turned Orange commemorates the devastating Eaton Fire one year later by spotlighting how community members mobilized to provide resources, support and healing for families impacted by the tragedy.
The documentary is directed by Altadena resident B.P. Edwards, produced by Maia Miller, and edited by Mayah Gilmer and Matt Kleppmer, who served as director of cinematography, all of whom were part of the inaugural cohort of ColorCreative’s Find Your People program. The initiative is a training curriculum that provides specialized resources, mentorship and guidance for seven disciplines in the filmmaking process.
Michael Jordan’s Black Community Commitment through Nike, which reflects Jordan Brand’s broader support of creative voices, partially funded the documentary. Dates for future screenings will be announced at a later date.
“To me, B.P. Edwards represents the future of filmmaking,” said Watkins, president of ColorCreative. “As a member of our inaugural Find Your People Program cohort, he embodies the heart of our mission, which is developing and nurturing emerging creatives who are deeply committed to authenticity in storytelling. Championing his work for a broader audience is truly an honor.”
Altadena, CA, after the Eaton Fire
ColorCreative
As a native of Altadena, one of the hardest hit communities during the Eaton Fires due to its proximity to the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County, Edwards had an intimate personal connection to the project.
After the news of the fires broke and he saw Altadena mobilizing, he wanted to ensure the story was documented. He reached out to his fellow creatives from his cohort to gauge their interest in helping him tell this story, with Miller, Gilmer and Kleppmer taking on roles. Watkins worked with Jordan Brand to provide production support.
According to records released by L.A. County, the Eaton Fire burned more than 14,000 acres, destroyed about 9,400 structures, damaged more than 1,000 structures, resulted in 17 deaths and injured several firefighters. A report from UCLA estimates the financial losses incurred tally up to between $95 billion-$164 billion, with insured losses estimated at $75 billion.
Rebuilding efforts have been slow to start, with the situation “gaining momentum” as the new year approached in December, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Edwards is a director, cinematographer and entrepreneur behind the short film Just Friends who has collaborated on projects with Rae’s Hoorae Media company, BuzzFeed, Food Network, Revolt TV, Prime Video, Walmart, GoDaddy and Canva. Edwards, an alumnus Langston University and East Texas A&A University, has experience across feature films, short films, documentaries, commercials and branded content.
The Pan African Film Festival run February 16-22, with programming set to screen at the Culver Theater and Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw. Other notable projects headed to the festival include the Shameik Moore- and Paris Jackson-led film One Spoon of Chocolate and a special screening of Lifetime’s Tracy McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love.