More than 30 people died and over 100,000 were displaced last year when the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire tore through Los Angeles, destroying some 16,000 buildings and homes—a devastating toll now chronicled in the Oscar-shortlisted documentary, All the Walls Came Down.
A Community in Ruins, a Fight for Survival
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The film follows residents of Altadena, a historic community with a large Black population, as they grapple with loss, displacement, and the threat of being priced out of their homes.
- The fires, sparked by Southern California Edison equipment, disproportionately impacted Black homeowners in Altadena.
- Residents face potential foreclosure as the power company delays financial assistance.
- Developers are reportedly offering lowball prices for fire-damaged properties, threatening further displacement.
- Community activists are fighting for a moratorium on foreclosures and equitable recovery efforts.
The documentary opens with a stark glimpse into the aftermath. Filmmaker Ondi Timoner, who lost her own home in the blaze, films her neighbor, Morgan Doctor, surveying the wreckage. “It says ‘unsafe,’” Timoner narrates, pointing to a sign. Doctor responds, “This is how we have to go home now. We’re home in a hazmat outfit.” The scene cuts to Doctor reflecting on happier times: “We got married right here.”
What caused the fires? Southern California Edison was found to have started the fires after failing to shut off power despite high winds, and a downed power line ignited dry brush. The company has accepted responsibility but won’t begin payments to affected families until next year.
The film quickly pivots to the human cost, focusing on community activist Heavenly Hughes and her efforts to support displaced residents. Hughes organizes “power luncheons” to connect those impacted by the fires. “Our last luncheon, I saw probably 20 of my classmates that I graduated from high school with,” Hughes recounts. “They come up to me, like, ‘Thank you so much.’ Feels good to be able to serve them.”
A History of Disadvantage
Altadena, Hughes explains, is an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County, relying on county services. “They’ve been wanting to get us out of there for a very long time,” Hughes says, referring to a long history of systemic neglect. “He moved into a Black community, where we are not on the priority list to save our lives.” Protesters can be heard chanting, “Altadena’s not for sale!”
The situation is further complicated by predatory practices. Hughes describes developers approaching homeowners with low offers. “It’s predatorial behavior happening now. I call them vultures,” she says. “They’re offering pennies on the dollar of what this land is worth.”
Many residents also faced insurance issues. “A lot of people were dropped,” Hughes explains. “State Farm and other insurance companies…they’re not paying. Some folks have been paying insurance premiums for 20, 30, 40, even 50 years, and now, when it’s time to pay out, they’re not doing it.”
Timoner’s film captures the raw emotion of the crisis. One resident, Ranell Wormley, shares the fear of foreclosure: “They’re saying that they’re going to do foreclosures.” Another, Rupert García, poignantly reflects, “I come back here just to remember how to get here and just to know the way back home.” Timoner herself admits, “That’s my bedroom wall right there, my safest space in the world.”
Seeking a Moratorium and Equitable Relief
Hughes and Timoner are now advocating for a moratorium on foreclosures, urging Governor Newsom and the Legislature to intervene. “We need to stop the foreclosures, put a moratorium on the foreclosures,” Timoner says. “So that Black and Brown families are not pushed off their generational land while waiting for the Southern…for the power company to pay.”
The film underscores the resilience of the Altadena community, even in the face of overwhelming loss. As Hughes declares, “There will be a new Altadena, and we’re going to all be a part of it.”
