PLACERVILLE, Calif. — With wildfire season still fresh in many minds, The Lost Bus, a film based on a heroic rescue during the 2018 Camp Fire, is arriving at the Placerville Cinema for a limited one-week run from Sept. 25 through Oct. 1. Film enthusiast and local organizer Gillian Masters said she pushed hard to bring this story to El Dorado County audiences.
“I believe stories like this remind us not only of tragedy but of human courage,”
Masters said. She added that Placerville patrons will have a chance to see the film at a deeply discounted rate—just $5 on Tuesday, Sept. 30—as a special mid-week offer.
What The Lost Bus is About
-
The film dramatizes the 2018 Camp Fire, California’s deadliest wildfire in history.
-
It follows Kevin McKay (played by Matthew McConaughey), a school bus driver, and Mary Ludwig (America Ferrera), a teacher, who together help rescue 22 elementary-age students during a harrowing five-hour journey amid fire, smoke, and the collapse of communication networks.
-
The story is adapted from Lizzie Johnson’s 2021 book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire.
Filmmaker Details & Release Date
-
Directed by Paul Greengrass, with screenplay co-written by Brad Ingelsby.
-
The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, then was released in select U.S. theaters beginning Sept. 19, with streaming to follow on Apple TV+ starting Oct. 3.
What Placerville Viewers Should Know
-
Dates: Sept. 25–Oct. 1, all week at Placerville Cinema.
-
Special Price: $5 admission Tuesday, Sept. 30.
-
Why Now: This limited run gives local audiences a chance to see the story on the big screen before it becomes more broadly available via streaming.
