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Hiroshima. Nagasaki. Mercury, Nevada?
A harrowing exposé of the United States’ disregard for everyone living… DOWNWIND.
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"NO ONE WARNED US ABOUT NUCLEAR TESTING" - DARLENE GRAHAM
GROUND ZERO: NEVADA TEST SITE TODAY
From 1951-1992, the United States detonated 928 nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site
The Nevada Test Site is located in Mercury, 60 miles from Las Vegas. Over the 41 years of testing at the Nevada Test Site, 100 atomic bombs were detonated above ground from airplanes, towers, cannons and balloons; 828 tests were conducted underground, including Boxcar (on April 26, 1968), a 1.3 megaton blast with an equivalent yield of 65 Hiroshima bombs.
Despite a moratorium on testing, the United States continues to develop its nuclear weapons program. The Nevada Test Site remains operational and resumption of nuclear testing is under debate.
Do you live in the path of radioactive fallout?
" ...the United States and other countries conducted more than 500 nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere. During these tests, radioactive particles and gases were spread in the atmosphere. Depending on the size and type of weapon that was exploded, some of these particles and gases traveled great distances before falling to earth (called fallout) where people could be exposed to the radiation. Radioactive fallout was deposited all over the world, so many people were exposed to it. Even today, radioactive fallout is present in all parts of the world."
- Centers For Disease Control
Original artwork by Bill Plympton
The power of activism
Two-time Oscar®-winning actor Michael Douglas is the world's longest-serving United Nations Messenger Of Peace (since 1988). He has dedicated his life to the elimination of nuclear weapons and nuclear power.
Claudia Peterson, Social Worker, St. George, Utah
Claudia is a tireless advocate for Downwinders, government accountability and the expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) which is scheduled to sunset in 2024.
Ian Zabarte, Principal Man of the Western Bands of the Shoshone Nation of Indians, Las Vegas, Nevada
"What gives me hope and inspiration? Protecting land, water and people. I once met astronomer Carl Sagan and asked him: 'Is there any hope?' He said: 'If we bring into existence a new sense of innocence.'”
TRUE (RADIOACTIVE) GRIT?
ABOUT RECA - AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
ABOUT US
Downwind Co-Directors
Mark Shapiro and Douglas Brian Miller began collaborating in 2005 when they created short-form content and mini documentaries for Monster.com's Diversity Leadership Program on university campuses across the United States. They also produced and directed original and scripted content for companies including Starbucks, Cisco and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Mark Shapiro
Mark headed Entertainment Brand Management for the animation studio LAIKA from 2007-2019. In addition to studio identity, he also handled marketing endeavors for LAIKA's five Oscar-nominated features: Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings and Missing Link. Before LAIKA, he managed several categories for Nike USA Communications including Nike Community Affairs, Nike Basketball and Nike Tennis. He also served as a Mentor in Publicity and Marketing for SxSW Film. Mark sits on the Klamath Film Board of Directors (Oregon) and curates film programming at festivals around the world. A native of Seattle, Mark attended Emerson College in Boston and received his BA (English) from Colorado College. He completed post-graduate education studies at Lewis & Clark College in Portland.
Douglas Brian Miller
Douglas Brian Miller's Director of Photography credits include: Why Did You Kill Me (Netflix True Crime Documentary), The Greed of Men, Comix, Beyond the Comic Book Pages and Rush Lights. In the Television market, Miller has served as Camera Operator for BET/Centric's Being, NBC's The Wendy Williams Show and The Montel Williams Show. In the growing world of new media, in partnership with various agencies such as J. Walter Thompson, TMP Worldwide, Group M and BP Studios, Miller has served as Director of Photography and Camera Operator for top brands including Apple, Boeing, Charles Schwab, Experian, E-Z UP Shelters, NXP, Sprint and Starbucks. Winner of fourteen Telly Awards, he also captured the 2022 Webby Award (People's Voice Winner, Best Series) for Between The Pages with Alane Adams. More information: http://douglasbrianmiller.com/ @douglasbrianmiller
Downwind was shot exclusively on RED Digital Cinema Systems in R3D RAW.