[Event] UNGA79 Disarmament Side Event: “Silent Fallout” Film Screening & Panel Discussion

 

“Silent Fallout” Film Screening & Panel Discussion

Award-Winning Film that Uncovers Untold Stories of  Victims of  Nuclear Testing in the US and Globally

 

In 1951, the first of one hundred nuclear tests was conducted on the United States mainland by the United States government. The result — nuclear fallout in the form of radioactive rain and snow poisoned communities in the continental United States and around the world, without any warning. US citizens today continue to suffer from lethal health impacts directly caused by this nuclear testing, and hundreds of thousands have died as a result of the actions of their own government.

This film screening of “Silent Fallout,” an award-winning documentary produced by Japanese film director Hideaki Ito, will uncover the untold stories of victims of nuclear testing in the US and globally. The film particularly reflects on the “baby tooth examinations” initiated by women in the 1950s and 1960s to protect their children from radiation exposure, which ultimately influenced Congress to pass and US President John F. Kennedy to implement the Limited Test Ban Treaty in 1963.

A panel discussion following the film screening will explore the health impacts of nuclear testing, the battle in the US to extend and expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

Date & Time: October 30, 1pm-3pm

Venue: UN Church Center, 2nd Floor

Address: 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017  View Map

Registration: Eventbrite

Co-hosted by: Human Rights Now, Peace Boat US

Co-sponsored by: International Physicians to Prevent Nuclear War, Arms Control Association, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Reverse the Trend

About Silent Fallout

More than just a film, “Silent Fallout” aims to raise awareness about the grave issue of radioactive contamination in the US and globally. Director Hideaki Ito’s passion for justice is evident in his poignant statement: “I feel strong anger. A government that has exposed its own citizens to radiation and acquired nuclear weapons. The perpetrators remain silent. Why do the victims have to lose their voices? And should people remain ignorant? Should we just be bystanders? Who are nuclear weapons for? I believe my role is to take the first step and get people to sit down at the discussion table.”

Narrated by Alec Baldwin, “Silent Fallout” is essential viewing for anyone interested in exploring the darker chapters of history and their lingering effects today. The film invites audiences to look beyond recent popular interpretations, such as the hit film “Oppenheimer,” and engage with the real, ongoing impacts of nuclear testing on communities worldwide. “Silent Fallout” is not just a call to action but an invitation to a crucial conversation about our past, present, and future.