CBSN Acquires Sundance Doc Bring Your Own Brigade

CBSN, CBS News’ digital streaming news service, has licensed Bring Your Own Brigade from filmmaker Lucy Walker and Topic Studios.

Bring Your Own Brigade is a character-driven exposé that explores the questions of why catastrophic wildfires are increasing in number and severity around the world, and if anything can be done to lessen the death and destruction they cause.

The doc debuted at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. It will hit theaters this summer and will be available on CBSN and Paramount+ after its theatrical run.

“Bring Your Own Brigade is an incredibly compelling, immersive documentary that will bring a new perspective to a story you thought you knew, and we’re excited to present this project to viewers,” said Nancy Lane, senior VP for content development at CBS News Digital.

“We believe the multiplatform distribution across theaters, Paramount+ and CBSN will ensure the maximum audience for this important film that clearly outlines why wildfires have become more deadly, and the very real ways we can protect our communities,” said Susanne Mei, senior VP of CBS News Digital.

“So many extraordinary people shared unforgettable stories that shattered my previous understanding of what was going on with these deadly wildfires,” said Walker. “I’m thrilled and grateful that now audiences will have a chance to take this emotional, unexpected and revelatory journey for themselves, to meet these characters, and to immerse themselves in this investigation about what is actually going on with these fires, and what we can do to survive them. Fortunately, I learned there are actually things we can do here in order to save ourselves that I had no idea about before I set out on this quest.”

Maria Zuckerman, executive VP and head of Topic Studios, added, “Lucy Walker’s stunning film is both personal and powerful, as she searches for the root causes of wildfires, and finds surprising answers. We at Topic Studios are excited for CBSN to release Bring Your Own Brigade and can’t think of a more urgent way to drive forward the public conversation around this issue, as well as enlighten and move people.”