Atomic People

An essential record, drawn of the testimonies of Hibakusha – survivors of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan – of humanity’s potential to destroy itself.

The bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945 were unparalleled in human history. Presented as a triumphant moment for Allied forces, the devastation wreaked on the two cities and its people, has never received quite as much coverage as the bombings. Almost 80 years after the two events, Atomic People draws on the vivid testimonies of survivors, detailing the struggles they faced in the aftermath and the campaign against nuclear weapons that gained momentum over subsequent decades. With the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight than it has ever been, this film is a reminder of the destructive power of the world’s arsenal and what the looming threat of nuclear war entails.