Light it before it burns
Hasit Ohněm
Czech Republic / 82 min / Czech, German, English, Portuguese
Documentary
Light it before it burns
Hasit Ohněm
Czech Republic / 82 min / Czech, German, English, Portuguese
Documentary
An ecologist wants to use fire to protect the environment. Is there method in his madness? How fire can be a positive tool in our era of global warming and symbol for both renewal and societal change
Following the devastating 2022 wildfire in Czech and Saxon Switzerland, Light It Before It Burns asks whether fire can help restore ecosystems in an era of climate change. At its centre are four perspectives: a biologist promoting controlled burning as a conservation tool; a paleoecologist revealing fire’s historical role in shaping landscapes; a politician navigating the tensions between ecological ambition and political reality; and a philosopher reflecting on fire as a symbol of humanity’s relationship with nature. Through striking imagery of landscapes in Czechia, Germany and Portugal transformed by flame, the film combines scientific insight, political observation and poetic reflection. Fire becomes a powerful metaphor for transformation, responsibility and our uncertain future.
Dop / Matěj Piňoš Editor / Jakub Jelinek Music / František Chaloupka Sound / Miroslav Chaloupka Writer / Markéta Ekrt Válková
Completion date / September 2026