I started Ashes to Films because I’ve lived it.

Sixteen years ago, I lost my home to a wildfire while attending school in Santa Barbara. The aftermath was brutal—financially, emotionally, and creatively. Once the smoke cleared, the world moved on, but I was still trying to figure out how to start over. What got me through was picking up a camera again. Creating something—anything—gave me direction when everything felt lost.

Ashes to Films is built for that moment.

We’re a nonprofit film fund and festival that gives fire survivors in the entertainment industry a way back in. We fund short films, music videos, and documentaries made by artists, crew members, and storytellers affected by wildfires—people who need work, who need support, and who have something powerful to say.

This is about more than healing—it’s about jobs, opportunity, and keeping creative voices in the places that make them strong. Whether you’re a director, a grip, or someone who’s always wanted to tell their story but never had the chance—this is for you.

Ashes to Films exists to turn loss into stories.

We hope you’ll join us.