Time: Watch this film on Vimeo at your leisure any time between 5:00 PM Sunday, May 9 and 5:00 PM Saturday, May 15, Mountain Daylight Time. (Length: 84 minutes) You will need to register below to receive a link to see the film.
Topic: Nuclear Disarmament – Portrait of an activist
An intimate portrait of Setsuko Thurlow, a passionate, 85-year-old nuclear disarmament activist and survivor of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Her moving story is told through the lens of her friendship with a second generation survivor, Mitchie Takeuchi. At age 13, Setsuko was miraculously pulled out of a fiery building after the bomb was dropped and unable to save her other 27 classmates who were burned to death alive. That experience shaped her life forever and she endeavored to keep a pledge she made to her friends – that no one should ever again experience that horrible fate.
This timely exploration of the global dangers of nuclear weapons provides an insider’s perspective as we see Setsuko campaign with ICAN (the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), and witness her acceptance speech at the 2017 Nobel Peace Awards. 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.
“Narrated through the experiences of two resilient hibakusha women, The Vow from Hiroshima is a well-researched, poignant and thoughtful work on the humanitarian approach to nuclear weapons. It is a fascinating story of how geopolitics and civil society intersects to influence policy, and how change is possible despite all odds.”
Jayita Sarkar, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Boston University
“A powerful and inspiring film that humanizes the issue of nuclear weapons. By focusing on the experiences of first – and second – generation hibakusha (survivors), it illuminates the horrific, long-lasting impacts of the atomic bomb. At the same time, it showcases the resilience and determination of the hibakusha, notably Setsuko Thurlow, an incredible woman who has dedicated her life to the elimination of nuclear weapons. Thurlow’s work, in close collaboration with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, highlights how ordinary people can do extraordinary things, including achieving the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.”
Bonnie Docherty, Associate Director, Armed Conflict and Civilian Protection, International Human Rights Clinic, Harvard Law School
“Highly Recommended…Uniquely moving…The film powerfully depicts one person’s tireless fight for a cause that contributes to the health and safety of the entire planet…….a multifaceted exploration of friendship, love, shared vision, as well as deeply moving history lesson.”
Rachael Dreyer, Pennsylvania State University, Educational Media Reviews Online
Awards and Festivals: Audience Award, Ojai Film Festival, Cleveland International and
Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival.
