Firefly

An Aboriginal firefighter is forced to choose between forgiveness and redemption or revenge and retribution when, sent to battle a blaze, he’s confronted by the arsonist killer of his family: in the heat of a fire, you can get burned by your own history.

‘Firefly’ is an Australian-set disaster drama that follows the fortunes of a volunteer New South Wales Rural Fire Service crew sent to save a township under threat. One of the firefighters sent to battle the blaze meets the arsonist killer of his family, where he’s forced to wrestle with feelings of forgiveness and redemption versus revenge and retribution. In the heat of a fire, you can get burned by your own history.

Undermined by staff shortages and injuries caused by the most catastrophic bushfire season in the country’s history, the crew of Indigo Support Seven have been sent alone to save a rural township. Joining them on his first mission is rookie volunteer, VINCENT, a man with a dark past. On route to the township, the crew’s banter reveals to Vincent that JARRAH, the Aboriginal firefighter attached to the Strike Team to advise on cultural burning, is the same man whose family died when Vincent, as a bored youth, turned to arson for his kicks. Wracked with guilt, Vincent resolves to confess his sins to Jarrah and gain his forgiveness. But on their way to the township Strike Team Leader, TESS, learns from Control that wind conditions have changed and there is a high chance of a mega-blaze. Tess vows that no-one on her team will be lost, but that proves hopelessly optimistic when BRUCE, the only professional firefighter on the team and Tess’s cousin’s husband (and also Tess’s lover) dies in the fire, breaking Tess’s heart. When Vincent is surrounded and isolated by smoke he has a premonition of his own death when he hallucinates a conversation with his partner, TILLY. He is rescued by Jarrah and confesses he was responsible for Jarrah’s family’s death. When Jarrah refuses to forgive, Vincent runs into the flames, taking his own life.