PBS to Stream Still Standing on November 19
The POV documentary about toxic Altadena homes after the Eaton fire premieres online as part of the series' ninth season.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Documentary
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PBS series POV will premiere the documentary Still Standing online on November 19, 2026. The film, directed by Víctor Tadashi Suárez and Livia Albeck-Ripka, explores homes left toxic by the January 2025 Eaton fire in Altadena, Los Angeles.
Why it matters
The film examines whether residents of fire-damaged homes can safely remain in them, a question that matters to communities across the country after large wildfires. Many insurers have told residents their homes are habitable, a claim the documentary places under scrutiny.
The filmmakers interviewed more than two dozen residents, researchers, and environmental consultants over six months and filmed in more than a dozen homes in Altadena, roughly 10 miles from the burned neighborhoods. The extraction does not include independent findings on whether those homes meet official habitability standards.
The players
POV
POV is the long-running PBS series that showcases independent nonfiction films, and it is premiering Still Standing as part of its ninth season.
Víctor Tadashi Suárez
Suárez is a documentary filmmaker who co-directed Still Standing with Livia Albeck-Ripka after the two met while working on a film about Australian bushfires.
Livia Albeck-Ripka
Albeck-Ripka is a documentary filmmaker who co-directed Still Standing with Víctor Tadashi Suárez.
The details
Directors Víctor Tadashi Suárez and Livia Albeck-Ripka wore hazmat suits and masks and covered their car in plastic sheeting to enter toxic homes, filming on 16mm film. The documentary is executive produced by Kevin Iwashina and Bernardo Ruiz.
Timeline
January 2025: The Eaton fire tore through Altadena, Los Angeles.
October 2026: Still Standing won Best Documentary Short at the Bend Film Festival.
November 8-9, 2026: The film screened at SFFILM's Doc Stories in San Francisco.
November 19, 2026: Still Standing premieres online as part of POV's ninth season.
Documentary Context
The film extends the public record of the January 2025 Eaton fire in Altadena by focusing on the lingering condition of homes rather than the fire itself. Its festival run, including Oscar-qualifying awards at Full Frame, the Seattle International Film Festival, and Aspen Shortsfest, places it among short documentaries seeking wider distribution.
Viewers can watch Still Standing online through POV when it premieres on November 19, 2026. The film also continues on the festival circuit, with screenings at the San Diego Asian Film Festival on Sunday, UnionDocs in Queens on Monday, and Cameraimage in Torún, Poland on Friday.
The takeaway
Still Standing shows how the physical legacy of a disaster can outlast the event itself, and why residents should look beyond routine insurer assurances when assessing a home's safety. Readers following the film can compare its findings with official habitability guidance from local authorities.
What happens next
Still Standing premieres online on November 19, 2026, as part of POV's ninth season.
Further reading
Explore more documentary films covering American disaster recovery and environmental health.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Deadline.
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