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Synopsis
for Australian Atomic Confessions
50 minute documentary, original
format – B + W archival footage, super8 film and dv
By filmmaker Katherine Aigner BA
Australian
Atomic Confessions
Australian Atomic Confessions
reveals the compelling unknown story of the twelve British atomic bomb tests in
Australia
seen through the eyes of Aboriginal elders, atomic ex-veterans, experts and the
Premier of South Australia.
How far does it go?
Government cover-ups, the conflict
of cultures and on-going legacy to land and people…
“It might have been a Cold War, but
we were exposed alright, we were totally exposed.”
“Our medical files have disappeared
and no-one can tell us where they are,” says atomic ex-veteran John Hutton in
Australian Atomic Confessions “our country betrayed us”.
Joining the ‘nuclear club’ was more
than being Lambs on the altar of British science -
It brought the ancient peaceful
pristine land into a world of war and exploitation.
“Nobody can destroy a country and
walk away and get away with it,” says elder Uncle Kevin Buzzacott in Australian
Atomic Confessions.
As the rest of the world looks
bleakly to the nuclear industry for answers and views our natural resources as
economic potential, the ancient voices of the land remind us of our
responsibility … and our past mistakes, says filmmaker Katherine Aigner.
“That uranium belongs to us” says
Uncle Kevin, “we knew about that long before the white man came here, it’s our
responsibility, it’s part of the Dreamtime…”
With the building of a new 500
million dollar nuclear reactor in a Sydney suburb, the expansion of more
multi-national uranium mines, the associated poisoning of the Great Artesian
Basin – a pristine natural water reservoir under the desert – and the community
opposition to having an international nuclear waste repository ‘in our
backyard’, the fight is on … which future will we choose?
“This playing around with different
forms of uranium puts a lot of fear into the old people, but also into us, the
younger generation. It’s a scary thing.” Says Aboriginal spokeswoman, Karina
Lester Australian Atomic Confessions.
“And in whose interest is it
anyway?” academic and aboriginal spokeswoman Rebecca Bear-Wingfield.
“My two grandchildren have spina
bifida and my daughter also has cancer … I’m just wondering if it comes from
those tests?” an atomic ex-veteran widow
asks filmmaker Katherine Aigner in Australian Atomic Confessions.
Australian Atomic Confessions – a
film everyone should see.
