The Fire Next Time Directed by Patrice O'Neill, 2005

Riveting...by patiently exploring both sides, the filmmaker hopes to have a cooling effect." - Sierra Magazine

As a mountain town heats up like a tinderbox, THE FIRE NEXT TIME portrays ordinary people divided — and united — by forces larger than themselves. When hard change comes to a bucolic Montana town, locals must choose sides in a series of conflicts over the environment, jobs, and the future of the community.

Kalispell, known as the “last best place” in America, is undergoing rapid growth, a reality that pleases few and drives some to extreme measures. From an incendiary talk show host to a tolerance-preaching ex-cop, from anti-environmental activists burning a green swastika to Native American families fleeing mounting racism, the film never flinches in its eye-opening portrayal of what human beings are capable of, both good and bad.

Award-winning filmmaker Patrice O’Neill thoughtfully captures a snapshot of Western America struggling over the complex environmental and economic issues that increasingly dominate the country. In this provocative and elegant film, the possibility of reconciliation emerges as a rewarding upshot to the ugly strife that pits citizen against citizen.