Half Life: A Parable for the Nuclear Age (1986)

Abstract

"Most of us imagine the Pacific as a place of idyllic tropical islands, beautiful beaches and sparkling seas, where carefree islanders live contentedly in Paradise. In the Nuclear Age this is sadly no longer the case. .....With terrifying calm, Half Life examines the facts leading up to the Bravo test, the role of the U.S. government in Marshall Islands nuclear testing and the long-term consequences of Bravo. This compelling and beautifully crafted film reveals the effect of the testing on the island inhabitants and on a few U.S. weathermen stationed nearby. With declassified government archival film and contemporary interviews, Half Life presents a restrained but chilling picture of a cynical radiation experiment on human populations. Its parable is a true one that haunts our pas, present and future." (description from video casette). Winner of the First Peace Prize in the 1986 Berlin Film Festival and the Director's Award for Extraordinary Achievement in the 1986 U.S. Film Festival.