In 1982, a handful of Hibakusha - Japanese for the survivors of the American bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - travelled from Japan to New York to attend a peace rally that was coordinated to fall at the same time as the Second United Nations Special Session on Disarmament.
The film Hiroshima, playing on Wednesday May 23, at 8 p.m. at the Adventure Centre for Reel Wednesdays, reveals the pain still carried by these survivors.
"They came to urge the nations of the world to prevent nuclear war. Instead of concentrating on the physical suffering of the victims, the film reveals the mental anguish of the Hibakusha, who are still haunted by nightmares," states the NFB website.
By following the journey of a number of Hibakusha, the film documents and highlights the struggles they face daily. Socially ostracized and marginalized, these heroes don't ask for much in their daily lives.
A trip to New York, however, gives them the chance to ask the world for the one thing that matters most - the disarmament of nuclear weapons so no one will suffer as they did.
"The Americans used us as guinea pigs, that's what happened in Nagasaki," recalls survivor Hatsuko Tominaga, who became Hibakusha at the age of 31.
Hiroshima presents viewers with a balanced and enlightening documentary that hits home due to its emotional, personal accounts of those living in the aftermath of the bomb. It reflects a strong point of view about the past and present dangers of nuclear weapons, and highlights the need for peace in an increasingly complex and violent world.
Tickets are $7 at the door, $5 for NFB members.
