Next week on HBO, do not miss Academy Award-winner Steven Okazaki's documentary White Light, Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, an examination of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from the ground level. It airs Monday, August 6th—the anniversary of Hiroshima. And if you miss the broadcast, catch the film on DVD
, available on August 7th.There have been numerous films on the bombings, but suprisingly few have focused on the stories of those who experienced it firsthand. And none of them have done it quite as comprehensively and powerfully as White Light/Black Rain. The film provides a narrative account of the bombings, weaving together the testimonies and recollections of fourteen survivors. These are the survivors of nuclear war, and they have something to tell us.
I saw the film's world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last January, and it was a haunting, powerful experience. People need to see this film, and these stories need to be heard and understood... before they're forgotten. The world's current stockpile of nuclear weapons is capable of repeating the destruction at Hiroshima 400,000 times over. Literally, the power to destroy the mankind. And these are the people who have seen a glimpse of it firsthand. Learn more about the film here. And here's an interview with Steven Okazaki: White Light / Black Rain: Interview with Hiroshima and Nagasaki Documentary Director. And another good interview in Asia Pacific Arts: The Difficult Questions