While Colorado’s devastating wildfires have frequently made headlines in recent years, Max Walker-Silverman’s sophomore feature film “Rebuilding” transforms this ecological tragedy into a poignant human drama. The film, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 26, has garnered attention not only for its powerful storytelling but also for its unexpected musical collaboration.
Josh O’Connor leads the cast as Dusty, a rancher who loses his ancestral home to wildfire and subsequently finds himself in a FEMA camp alongside other displaced residents. O’Connor’s performance, characterized by nuanced minimalism, captures the character’s journey through grief, helplessness, and the slow path toward healing. The supporting ensemble includes Meghann Fahy as Dusty’s ex-wife Ruby, Kali Reis as widowed camp resident Mali, and Lily LaTorre as nine-year-old Callie-Rose.
In O’Connor’s hands, Dusty’s quiet grief becomes a universal language for those rebuilding after catastrophic loss.
Shot in Colorado during July 2023, the production authentically portrays the aftermath of wildfire devastation, creating a visual landscape that mirrors the emotional terrain of its characters. Walker-Silverman, whose previous film “A Love Song” (2022) established his humanistic approach to storytelling, directs with a sensitivity that critics have compared to Chloé Zhao’s work.
Since its Sundance debut, “Rebuilding” has maintained strong momentum on the festival circuit, securing a spot in the Crystal Globe Competition at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and appearing in the ‘Meeting Point’ selection at Valladolid. The film’s score was meticulously crafted using studio-quality vocals recorded against mostly finished instrumental backings to enhance the emotional impact of key scenes. The film’s production team includes Jesse Hope, Dan Janvey, and Paul Mezey, who helped bring Walker-Silverman’s vision to life. The sound design creates immersive underwater-like ambiences during flashback sequences, using sweeping filters to convey the muffled, dreamlike quality of memories. Bleecker Street acquired distribution rights in April 2025, recognizing the film’s resonance with contemporary environmental concerns.
Critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 96% approval rating from 23 critics and Metacritic assigning a score of 77/100 based on 12 reviews. Rather than focusing on the wildfire itself, the film explores the life after tragedy and how communities come together in times of devastating loss. Reviewers consistently praise the film’s authenticity and emotional depth, particularly highlighting O’Connor’s performance as a man struggling to reconcile his identity after profound loss.
“Rebuilding” stands as a reflection of resilience, community, and the human capacity to find hope amid devastating circumstances.
