Big Rock Burning Chronicles a Community’s Fight in the Flames

28 August 2025

In January 2025, when the devastating Palisades Fire swept through Malibu’s Big Rock neighborhood, residents were thrust into a perilous reality that would stay with them long after the flames died down. Now, a powerful new documentary, Big Rock Burning, captures that raw experience through stories told in the first person by those who lived it ncluding a familiar Hollywood face and his wife.

Actor Mark Hamill and his wife Marilou, who have called Big Rock home since 1978, are among the film’s executive producers. Their house was spared, thanks in part to a self-installed fire suppression system using pool water that doused their property and likely helped save a neighbor’s home as well. Yet, even though the structure survived, lingering toxicity from the fire’s aftermath keeps them from returning. Marilou recalled her conflicted feelings in the moment: she resisted evacuating until realizing what she was avoiding wasn’t death, but inhaling dangerous toxins.

Directed by their neighbor, David Goldblum who also lost his home during the blaze—the film unflinchingly portrays residents battling the inferno alone. With emergency services absent and help deemed too dangerous to enter the area, residents armed themselves with garden hoses, buckets, and sheer determination. One poignant moment recounts a man sending a final photo of his burning home before prioritizing his family’s safety.

Goldblum’s filmmaking began just three days after the disaster. He posted in a neighborhood WhatsApp group, asking who would share their stories. Within an hour, dozens responded, and he began evading National Guard checkpoints to film the unfolding tragedy. His footage documents the emptiness left behind not just in the charred landscapes but also in how systems failed residents when they needed help most.

The documentary, produced alongside notables like Ricki Lake, Julie Parker Benello, James Costa, and Mark Hamill, seeks not only to memorialize what happened but to advocate for change in disaster preparedness and response. Marilou expressed hope that the film would trigger improvements in how communities and authorities prepare for and respond to future wildfires.

The film debuts with a local screening hosted by the Malibu Film Society and the City of Malibu on August 29 at Malibu City Hall. Its theatrical run starts September 12 at Laemmle in Santa Monica. This premiere is Oscar-qualifying, indicating its ambition to reach wider, national audiences.

Big Rock Burning is more than a documentary it is a testament, a warning, and a call to action. It captures the aftermath of a fire that destroyed homes and disrupted lives while shining a light on the power of community resilience. At its core lies a plea: no neighborhood, no matter how scenic, should ever face devastation alone again.