By Robert E. Frye
In one lifetime a nuclear-armed world emerged, and with it the potential for global destruction on a scale never before possible. Is it also possible that in a single lifetime nuclear weapons could be abolished?
In My Lifetime provides a comprehensive look at the full scope and impact of the nuclear age from its beginnings to the present day, including the international efforts by citizens, scientists and political leaders to reduce or eliminate the nuclear threat.
Through archival footage and contemporary interviews, In My Lifetime portrays the history of the nuclear era and the complex search for "a way beyond". Filmed in Europe, Japan and the U.S., the movie features international voices from many perspectives and different parts of the history. Manhattan Project scientists, former military personnel, and survivors of the first atomic bombs remind us how the nuclear age began -- and what we seek to avoid from happening ever again. Central participants and historians recount the major developments that followed: the U.S. ¨C Soviet Cold War, above-ground nuclear testing, the Cuban missile crisis, the historic summits between Reagan and Gorbachev, the spread of nuclear weapons, and nonproliferation efforts.
Through this history, the film attempts to uncover the forces that brought us to the present number of nuclear-armed countries, and the obstacles ¨C both political and human ¨C that have blocked the world from reaching the solution all ultimately desire. An inside view of the debates at a recent UN Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference is especially revealing, clearly showing how difficult it is for the world to move beyond the nuclear status quo.
In My Lifetime challenges viewers to learn from this history and find a way to accomplish what might seem like the impossible, because it is an absolute necessity.
Reviews
~ "One of the best documentaries of the nuclear age I have ever seen". - Avner Cohen, Senior Fellow, James Martin Center for Non-Proliferation Studies, The Monterey Institute for Int'l Studies
~ "A powerful and persuasive film. Beautifully done. Shows the effects of nuclear weapons and the consequences on both the commonweal and on individual conscience. (The) film is haunting compelling and I marvel at its mastery of the subject and its personal attraction." - William Lanouette, Author, Genius in the Shadows (a biography of Leo Szilard)
~ "A chilling birds eye survey of the history of nuclear weapons, displaying iconic and terrifying stills and footage from Hiroshima and after." - Film Columbia
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