A group of teenagers who lost their homes in the Palisades and Eaton fires have spent this week telling their own stories of resilience.
Ashes to Films, a new nonprofit film fund and festival, selected 16 fire-affected young filmmakers to participate in a free, week-long workshop in partnership with New York Film Academy’s (NYFA) Los Angeles.
“We’re not defined by what we’ve lost, we’re defined by what we create,” said founder Shiloh Strong. “It’s the idea of allowing these kids an opportunity to recover creatively and think of something besides that and pursue their dreams.”
The participants, aged 14 to 18, all were forced to relocate during the fires, which burned over 37,000 acres. Thirteen lost their homes, Strong said, while the other three were displaced.
“If you know your house burned down, that’s a perfect excuse to give up on your dream to continue living a creative life,” said Strong, who lost his home in Santa Barbara to a wildfire in 2009.
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – JULY 15: The Ashes to Films Youth Filmmakers Program in session at New York Film Academy in Burbank, CA on July 15, 2025. (Photo by Matt Harbicht @mattharbicht for Ashes to Films)
Through its Young Filmmakers Program, teens participated in workshops across film disciplines, such as screenwriting, editing and directing. They are now spending Thursday and Friday filming on the Universal Studios backlots, according to NYFA Dean Dan Mackler.
“There’s something special about seeing your neighbors and the community come in here, and give them the opportunity to tell their stories, and being able to help some of these kids who’ve gone through this traumatic time,” Mackler said.
Chloe Frazier said she turned to filmmaking after her house burnt down in the Palisades Fire, making a short documentary that detailed her experiences in the aftermath.
“I could actually see the cloud from my school, and I didn’t think anything of it. I didn’t think that my house was going to burn down or anything, and when it did, it was really shocking to me,” the 14-year-old said. “I still don’t think I can fully process it.”
She said she heard about Ashes to Films from her mother and applied because of her childhood love for filmmaking.
The group has been creating its own short narrative films, which must feature themes of hope or overcoming adversity, Strong said.
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – JULY 15: The Ashes to Films Youth Filmmakers Program in session at New York Film Academy in Burbank, CA on July 15, 2025. (Photo by Matt Harbicht @mattharbicht for Ashes to Films)
While the films do not have to be based on their personal experiences, some of the creators, like 14-year-old Prinx Azim Mathis, feel their stories reflect how they felt at the time of the fires.
“The whole message (of my story) is being able to go on alone without help,” said Mathis, who was displaced from his home because of damage. “It kind of reminded me of myself when I thought everything wasn’t going to be good anymore because I was impacted, but I moved on, and I’m here.”
Along with the free workshop, each selected young filmmaker was awarded a $500 micro-grant to finish their film, which will be shown at the Ashes to Ashes film festival. The festival is currently slated for January, the one year-anniversary of the fires.
“The whole goal here is to get to the festival where we can all come together and celebrate resilience and overcome adversity,” Strong said.
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – JULY 15: The Ashes to Films Youth Filmmakers Program in session at New York Film Academy in Burbank, CA on July 15, 2025. (Photo by Matt Harbicht @mattharbicht for Ashes to Films)
Strong said he’s looking to expand the festival to artists outside of Los Angeles who have experienced “some level of personal loss,” whether that’s a natural disaster or another traumatic event.
“The idea of combining stories of resilience with the storytellers of resilience opens up to so many more opportunities,” Strong said.
Applications closed Wednesday for the nonprofit’s film grants, ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 for adult filmmakers. Strong said he hopes to ultimately raise enough funds to support each accepted project with $25,000.
“I hope this organization can keep doing things like this because I think film is really powerful and it keeps people together in harsh times,” said Olive Holm, an 18-year-old from Altadena. “I’m very grateful for it.”