Wednesday, December 13

The Nuns, the Priests and the Bombs

Catholic nuns and priests with other anti-nuclear activists, challenge the security and legality of America's nuclear weapons when they break into the "Fort Knox" of uranium and a Trident nuclear submarine base.The military base in Bangor, Washington, is where country's largest stockpile of nuclear weapons are stored.

The protesters brought bolt cutters and entered the “secured” facility, walked around, and got very close to the nuclear weapons. Symbolically, they poured blood as they prayed and asked for an end to all nuclear weapons. In the film, the Bangor Five talk about their motivation for trespassing on the base, and what they hoped to accomplish by their so-called crimes. All were arrested at gunpoint, forced to lie on the ground for hours, jailed, and later charged. The film covers their trial, convictions and sentencing. All five were given federal prison terms. 

More than 25 years after the end of the end of the Cold War nuclear weapons are once again at the center of world attention. The ongoing North Korean crisis coupled with the uncertain future of the Iran nuclear deal have heightened tensions surrounding the world’s 15,000 nuclear weapons. This documentary profiles people on the frontlines of the global movement to abolish nuclear weapons, and chronicles diplomatic efforts at the United Nations to prohibit the use or threat of use of these weapons of mass destruction. As talk of nuclear war escalates daily, it is a must-see. 

The film also shows footage of the recent United Nations vote on an international nuclear ban.