The Last Atomic Bomb

Sakue Shimohira tells students everywhere how she survived the last atomic bomb

Challenging assumptions, nuclear proliferation of today is seen through the devastating yet inspirational life of Nagasaki survivor Sakue Shimohira — joined by college students — dedicated to making sure the truth about the last atomic bomb deliberately
used on human beings will never be forgotten.

****(4 stars) "Impossible not to be moved" -Time Out Magazine
"Shedding light on the dark corners of history... fascinating...alarming...the simple, earnest truth." -The Villager

The film documents the story of 10-year-old Sakue, hiding in a shelter near ground zero when the bomb exploded in August 1945, and the aftermath of that day. Her experiences are interwoven with rarely seen archival footage, never-before-told accounts of what happened to her and other survivors in 1945 and in subsequent years, the U.S. decision to use the bomb, censorship in the U.S. and Japan of the bomb or its effects, discrimination against survivors by other Japanese, buildup of nuclear weapons during the Cold War, the anti-nuclear movement, and today’s nuclear proliferation issues.
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In one of the film’s most powerful moments Sakue describes her sister’s suicide ten years after the war ended as "the courage to die." Mrs. Shimohira, the survivor, found "the courage to live" and dedicate her life to abolishing nuclear weapons.

"Indelible images...effectively explains the domestic and economic calculations that factored heavily in the decision to drop the bomb."
- Prof. William Hartung, New School University, author "And Weapons for All"
"Of great documentary significance and moral beauty — an essential gift to every generation of our nuclear age." - Joanna Macy, author, activist
"Powerful" - TV Guide Movie Reviews
"Must see...important" - The Campus, CCNY
"Bracing, potent explorations of hot-button issues" - All Movie Reviews

Koichi Wada was a 17-yr old streetcar conductor when the bomb dropped. He survived; his friend did not.

The film follows the tiny, tireless and dedicated survivor and two college students to Paris, London, Washington, DC and New York as they present letters to the British Prime Minister, French President and President Bush, inviting them to come to Nagasaki and to lead efforts to make sure what happened there will never again happen anywhere.

In Paris Mrs. Shimohira shares memories in a moving encounter with an Auschwitz survivor. She stirs high school students in London and New York City with her presence and description of the bomb and its effects.

At the film’s life affirming conclusion it is clear that student Haruka has become motivated to carry on Mrs. Shimohira’s nuclear abolition message to young people around the world.

"An affecting portrait of the human costs of war."
- Frida Berrigan, Arms Trade Resource Center
"Deeply impressed...beautifully made...even more germane than usual...thought-provoking and inspiring."
- Don Kelley, Voices of the Heartland
"A lesson in humanity" - Felicity Hill,
Australia Medical Assoc. for the Prevention of War
"The definitive story" - Planet in Focus
***(3 stars) "Powerful" - AM New York

Produced by Kathleen Sullivan and Robert Richter. Kathleen is a disarmament educator, NGO representative at the United Nations, author, consultant and lecturer on nuclear issues. This is her first film.

"Informative, compelling" - Asia Reporter "Persuasive" - New York Sun "Harrowing" - Orlando Weekly "Haunting" - Asia Documentary Reviews "Passionate" - Film and History Journal "Quite touching"- New York Magazine "Urgent" - The Oregonian "Powerful" - Register Guard, Eugene

• Screenings: First showing was in Nagasaki at their 60th year commemoration events. Subsequently screened at the United Nations in New York and Geneva, international conferences on nuclear disarmament, and in theaters, universities and festivals in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin America.
  
  
• Awards: Best Documentary, San Diego Asian Film Festival; Audience Award for Best Documentary, Sao Paolo International Film Festival; Press Award, Goais (Brazil) International Film Festival; CINE Golden Eagle
  
  Festival screenings: Planet in Focus (Toronto), Global Peace (Orlando), New York Peace (opening night film), other festivals in Turkey, Italy, UK, Japan, Brazil, India, California.

92 minutes. English subtitles. DVD with chapters, or VHS.
Japanese subtitle version also available.