How The Lost Bus Recreates a Heroic Real-Life Rescue During California’s Deadliest Wildfire

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Paul Greengrass has consistently focused on portraying authentic real-world scenarios in his films. Kicking off his career in documentaries during his twenties, he honed a distinct observational style that became synonymous with his filmmaking.

Greengrass expresses that finding a balance between recording and re-creating reality in his fictional storytelling took him several years. He explains that instead of adhering to the traditional methods of a drama director, he found success by returning to his documentary instincts, which originated from his roots.

The filmmaking approach led to numerous contemporary films based on real-life events, such as Captain Phillips, United 93, and even shaped the suspenseful style of his Bourne series movies. This authentic flair is evident in The Lost Bus, where he recreates an incredible story of bravery and resilience during the devastating Camp Fire in Paradise, California, 2018. The movie narrates the account of bus driver Kevin McKay (played by Matthew McConaughey) and school teacher Mary Ludwig (America Ferrera), who bravely saved 22 children as they faced the deadliest wildfire in California history.

Greengrass explains to TIME before the 2025 Toronto Film Festival premiere that the drawings he’s worked on generally revolve around two main themes. The first, which he refers to as ‘quiet and austere’, includes films like “Bloody Sunday”, “United 93”, and “22 July”. These projects focus on the intricate real-world details. The second category, exemplified by “Captain Phillips” and soon to include “The Lost Bus”, are based on true events but offer more of a cinematic experience.

A heroic true story

On November 8, 2018, a fault on PG&E’s power line sparked the deadliest and most devastating wildfire in California history, which originated in Butte County, Northern California. The fire rapidly spread due to hazardous high winds, claiming 85 lives and forcing over 50,000 people to evacuate. In her critically acclaimed 2021 book, Paradise: One Town’s Battle Against an American Wildfire, journalist Lizzie Johnson from the San Francisco Chronicle provided a detailed account of the fires through various local perspectives. A significant part of the book, detailing the remarkable tale of a school bus driven to safety by McKay after responding to an emergency call, served as the foundation for Greengrass’ movie, co-written by Brad Ingelsby, creator of Mare of Easttown. Upon hearing the story, Greengrass immediately decided he wanted to bring it to the big screen.

Greengrass muses on the fact that you can waste a lot of time worrying over films you don’t produce or finish. The movies you do create often resonate more with, “That’s exactly what I want to do.” Greengrass had always planned to make the Bourne series because he admired the first one. When they shared ideas about a bus and children, he immediately thought, “I have just the approach for that.” This feeling was intuitive for him.

One movie that quickly came to mind for Greengrass as a point of reference (other than his own movies like Captain Phillips or United 93, which also take place in confined spaces) was John Ford’s 1939 Western, Stagecoach. As Greengrass explains, “Any tightening of the storyline opens up cinematic opportunities.” He is fascinated by dynamic cinema, the kind that focuses on action and movement. In the heat of a perilous situation, he wants the camera to move along with you.

The narrative held significant relevance to him, considering the escalating destruction from wildfires and other environmental disasters. He often finds himself intrigued by what shapes our world today, like how the small incident in Captain Phillips portrayed globalization. Similarly, Greengrass perceived The Lost Bus’s story through a similar lens, focusing on a micro, primal cinematic tale of survival that ultimately explored the broader implications of these disasters. “Lizzie’s book encompasses the entire fire story, and Kevin’s narrative is merely a few pages within it. It seemed fitting for a movie.

The importance of the film escalated significantly when the Los Angeles fires broke out prematurely in 2025, coinciding with the final stages of production. As their editor Billy Goldenberg had to leave to protect his home which was at risk of being destroyed, Greengrass recalled this incident as a profound reminder of the reality they were portraying. It became clear that they had created visuals reflective of our contemporary world, and that they would need to adapt to the increasing occurrence of life-threatening events.

Truth vs. fiction

How can one craft a movie that portrays reality in an engaging way for the audience, yet remains respectful towards those who experienced the depicted events firsthand? Greengrass and Ingelsby emphasized this delicate balance. As Greengrass explains, “You need to make decisions to create an authentic and truthful dramatic work.” He continues by pointing out that even choosing which story to tell is a choice, just like in documentary filmmaking. The key question is: does it feel genuine with a touch of truth? Or does it come across as exploitative or biased?

Although the screenwriting team had to make some dramatic adjustments (such as leaving out Abbie Davis, another teacher who was on the bus but declined participation in the movie), the film “The Lost Bus” manages to capture a sense of reality. Greengrass’ dedication to authenticity and emotional depth played a significant role in this achievement. To further enhance accuracy, Greengrass arranged for McConaughey and Ferrera to converse with the real individuals who inspired their characters, so they could grasp the experiences these heroes had endured. Regarding ethical considerations, since the children involved were minors, no direct contact was made. However, Greengrass emphasized that while making a film, one forms a family of stakeholders, and he takes great care, respect, and consent towards their well-being throughout the entire process.

In the search for our location, we opted for a change from the sunny landscapes of California. I believe it would have been inappropriate to film there given the context, so we decided on a small New Mexico town instead. This place, far from Santa Fe, is called Ruidoso, and surprisingly, it mirrors our original vision perfectly.

Real fires, real safety

One significant advantage of filming in Ruidoso was a formerly unused art college campus that the production acquired for their use. This expansive location featured real roads and turns, allowing them to maintain complete and safe control without needing to use any public roads. When Greg Goodman discovered this site, Greengrass swiftly abandoned his initial concept of shooting on a stage at Sphere Las Vegas. He recognized that filming there would strip the movie of the dynamic energy he was trying to achieve.

To generate authentic flames safely, they opted for setting up gas lines and igniting controlled gas burns, ensuring no airborne particles that could spark a forest fire were emitted. Consequently, the team carried out their work meticulously, with both safety and impressive fire displays in mind. A significant hurdle was illumination, as they aimed to capture every scene with visual harmony and authenticity amidst the smoke. As he explains, “During forest fires, there’s a peculiar, dimmed light, resembling an eclipse due to smoke obscuring the sun, eventually turning extremely dense and dark, despite it being 10 in the morning.

To capture the specific soft light required, we filmed driving scenes daily during the enchanting hour’s glow, splitting each session into one-hour slots. This process necessitated meticulous planning and organization, with all gas burners positioned, traffic elements, choreography, and stunts thoroughly rehearsed, and children carefully prepped for the proceedings. “This was an incredibly demanding experience for the actors. We managed to get only three lengthy takes, which mirrored the single-performance atmosphere of a theater stage.

In this scene of the film, when the bus is encircled by flames from all directions and must pass through them, Greengrass found himself most reminded of John Ford’s 1939 film “Stagecoach.” This shift in tone transforms the realistic setting into a more filmic one. As he described it, “When they descend the hill, you feel as if you’re aboard that Stagecoach, traveling through the fire. Upon reaching the end and witnessing the arrival of the parents, I always find this poignant, evoking a more cinematic mood.” Greengrass hoped to create an entire film experience with this particular sequence.

During their collaboration, Ingelsby and Greengrass chose to portray the fires as a significant element, much like a menacing beast with its own perspective – similar to the shark in Steven Spielberg’s classic film, Jaws. According to Greengrass, he told his long-time editor Goldenberg that the movie needed the shark-like presence of the fires. He even credited Spielberg as “one of the last great classical filmmakers.” Greengrass deliberately crafted shots to convey the fires’ voracious appetite and eventually their cunning nature, especially when the characters got trapped.

A thoroughly committed cast 

In the casting process, Greengrass emphasized blending reality with imagination, focusing on individuals who embodied the roles rather than those who physically resembled the characters. “Let’s discuss Matthew,” Greengrass proposes. “He’s a well-known film star, yet he’s also an exceptional character actor. He hails from Texas and had a deep connection with Paradise and Kevin’s world. It’s a unique place filled with intense emotions and a sense of injustice regarding the distribution of California’s wealth. Matthew truly grasped this.”

A significant aspect of McKay’s character revolves around his efforts to be a better father and son, which is poignantly depicted in a heart-wrenching scene involving his terminally ill dog. These elements were grounded in reality, making the portrayal even more authentic. What added to this realism was the inclusion of McConaughey’s real mother, Kay McConaughey, and son, Levi McConaughey, in these roles. “Interestingly,” Greengrass recounts with a smile, “I wasn’t aware that he was his son when I cast him.” It turns out that Kevin’s son and Matthew’s son became friends on set.

The team handled the intense child-involving scenes with caution, considering time constraints for filming minors. Their strategy of capturing scenes during the golden hour proved beneficial, as it prevented children from being overexerted and all regulations were effortlessly adhered to. Regarding the emotional welfare of the kids during challenging scenes, Greengrass remarks, “Matthew and America were exceptional. They served as mentors for them.” They took on this role with dedication, ensuring the movie’s success. The children from Santa Fe school showed great acting skills too, they were absolutely remarkable.

A focus on human resilience

In the film The Lost Bus, Yul Vazquez’s character as a fire chief makes a significant statement about worsening wildfires during an update on the uncontrollable Camp Fire. This is essentially the sole instance in the movie where a character openly expresses environmentalist views. Director Paul Greengrass felt it necessary to include this moment, stating that given the widespread occurrence of worsening fires globally, it seemed fitting and appropriate to do so after living through such an experience. Greengrass explained that he decided to make implicit concerns explicit in his work.

In other places, Greengrass deliberately avoided any hint of preachiness. Instead, he focused on portraying emotional authenticity, allowing the broader environmental themes to unfold naturally. As he puts it, “I don’t think people go to this film for a lecture, and I don’t believe it delivers one.” According to him, movies are meant to entertain us, take us to extraordinary worlds, evoke emotions, make us laugh or cry – these are the feelings he aims to elicit from his work.

Greengrass showcases a pivotal moment when the bus stops as an illustration of subtly expressing emotions rather than preaching. The scene depicts Mary and Kevin discussing their concerns in a setting that feels genuine. Topics surrounding climate change, such as “is it too late?”, are seamlessly integrated without turning into a sermon. These themes emerge because they are the challenges the characters are grappling with.

As a cinema enthusiast, I’d say Greengrass likens his portrayal of PG&E’s negligence to a central plot point in a movie. He explains, “This isn’t so much a film about PG&E, but their neglect of infrastructure that sparked the fire is the main event, and that’s simply the truth.” He continues, “Understanding why fires behave as they do requires knowing this aspect.”

Reflecting on cinema’s strengths, Greengrass muses, “What films excel at most is capturing the indomitable spirit of humans in challenging situations-the old master demonstrated this with Stagecoach. I hope those working under his influence can take something valuable from his work.

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2025-09-06 17:06