Autumn Ruch, Lauren Musgrove
Maggie Brown
The year was 1970, and the Ruch family was having a Memorial Day BBQ party in their backyard in Van Nuys, Calif. Ernie Ruch was grilling, and Diane Ruch, pregnant with their fourth child, Frani, was enjoying time with everyone together. An ember from the grill caught a can of kerosene on fire, and the resulting flames engulfed two of the Ruch children: David (5) and Alisa (8). David was saved, when the oldest brother, Ethan (10) instinctively grabbed him and rolled him around on the ground, putting out the fire. Alisa took off running, and was hospitalized with 3rd degree burns all over her body. She died several weeks later.
To memorialize her first daughter’s name, Diane founded the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation, which coined the phrase “Stop, Drop, and Roll” and catapulted fire safety lessons into schools across America.
Many members of the burn survivor community today herald Diane a hero.
Propelled by an honest and joyous connection with her 87-year old Jewish grandmother Diane, Autumn Ruch sets out to unravel the grief that haunts their family, and forge a path to healing. Since she was a child, the story of a family tragedy has echoed in Autumn’s head like folklore.
Despite her nationwide, life-changing impact, Diane and the rest of the Ruch family have never fully faced their trauma, depression, aggression, drug abuse, issues with affection, avoidance, and the conflict that afflicts them to this day. Behind a seemingly close-knit family and heartfelt story of endurance, positivity, and hope, is a history of concealed grief.
Determined to break the silence, Stop Drop and Roll is Autumn’s mission to lead the Ruch family to confront their past.
Conversations with Autumn’s family will cover the day of the fire, its aftermath, and their complicated relationships with each other. Art therapy sessions will enlist the family’s creative tendencies for an experience that is hopefully cathartic and connective. Autumn will interview experts in intergenerational grief and family psychology, seeking to understand how trauma presents In behavioral patterns. Autumn will speak with burn survivors directly to hear how they cope with their experiences, as well as their perspective on the Foundation and the Ruch family. Through poetry and personal vlogs, Autumn will explore her own patterns and behaviors to discover which are the remnants of inherited pain. This documentary aims to capture how difficult, raw, and imperfect the journey is for a family to face loss, and the bravery and strength of the individuals who endeavor to face it. Stop Drop and Roll is an exploration of deep-seated trauma as well as a celebration of the joy of life, family, and the hope that arises from facing hardships, together.
For this documentary, we employ poetry, animation, and a touch of magic realism to paint the whole picture of the Ruch family story. Family memories and medical terminology will be expressed through sketch-like animation - as if from Autumn’s personal journal as she pieces together a new Ruch family narrative. The family will join together in art therapy to explore their collective trauma in a creative, theatrical way, allowing them to express themselves and connect to each other beyond the confines of typical reality.
2025