Nuclear technology does not have a terribly illustrious legacy. The very thought of "nuclear power" conjures up ghastly images of destruction, mayhem and mutation; the term is inextricably linked to the detonation of the atomic bomb at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Until the 1980s, the effects of excess radioactivity were apparent only from the aftermath of war. Yet in 1986, that all changed when the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, widely regarded to be the worst nuclear accident in history, proved a horrifying reminder of the destructive power of nuclear technology, even when used for benign purposes.
"Chernobyl Heart" is a documentary short that was screened at Dartmouth on Tuesday, May 3 in 105 Dartmouth Hall as the centerpiece of a three-day event of the same name. Produced as an HBO documentary feature, "Heart" was first shown on the cable channel in 2003 and went on to win the 2004 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.
Directed and produced by established documentary filmmaker Maryann DeLeo, "Chernobyl Heart" deals with the long-term and short-term effects of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, specifically detailing its effects on the children of Belarus. The accident, which occurred on April 26, 1986 in Pripyat, Ukraine, led to the contamination of large areas of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia -- up to 150,000 square kilometers according to the International Atomic Energy Agency -- which were close to the nuclear reactor. Belarus was hit the hardest, enduring 60 percent of the radioactive fallout. Two people died from the initial explosion, and within three months, 28 more people perished due to acute radiation sickness. It is believed that some 200,000 people had to be relocated in order to escape radiation poisoning.
"Chernobyl Heart" starts out in the exclusion zone, which is a 30-kilometer radius surrounding the plant where all of the reactors are now closed. The movie follows Adi Roche, the founder and executive director of Ireland's Chernobyl Children's Project, as she travels through the hospitals, mental asylums, cancer centers and orphanages of the country. "Heart" shows the diseased children, deformed babies and other individuals whose lives have been transformed permanently by radioactive fallout from the accident.
Later segments deal with the work being done by Dr. William Novick, founder of the International Children's Heart Foundation. The non-profit organization is dedicated to helping children with heart disease in developing countries, and in the movie, we watch as the organization saves the lives of 13 children born with defective hearts that are often called "Chernobyl Hearts." (In fact, only 15 to 20 percent of the babies in Belarus are born healthy.)
Novick, Roche and DeLeo were part of a panel that answered questions after the May 3 screening. During the discussion, Novick called Belarus the world's biggest "quiet emergency" and castigated the United Nations for its lack of support. Roche followed with a report on the present state of the Chernobyl plant, noting that the current building is unstable and continues to release radiation into the atmosphere. She remarked, "The next Chernobyl may be Chernobyl."
The idea for the event came when Dr. Lee Witters of the Dartmouth Medical School viewed the documentary on HBO last year and felt that a screening would be both relevant and informative for students of almost any major. Along with Bill Pence of the Dartmouth Film Society, Witters was instrumental in getting DeLeo, Novick and Roche to attend the event. The Nathan Smith Pre-Medical Society -- for which Dr. Witters is the faculty advisor -- led the development effort to make this screening possible. Student leaders Yamini Rao '06, Marie-Louise Meng '06 and Erin Lessner '05 were on the coordinating committee and spearheaded the initiative.
Witters aimed to maximize student exposure to the proceedings, and as a result, all events were open to undergraduates. With the "Chernobyl Heart" screenings, Witters said that he "hoped to attract a group of students in order to build a permanent alliance between Dartmouth students and these organizations." Indeed, he pointed out that both Novick and Roche were "energized" by meeting the students, and he indicated that they would be receptive to any recommendations made by Witters concerning future volunteers.
The screening had a profound impact on the Dartmouth students who saw it. Rao claimed that the film "put into perspective my role as student at Dartmouth in the greater human context." She says the screening "was a turning point for many members of the overflowing audience," adding that every viewer gained "a new level of global understanding, concern and awareness."
"What struck me most about this documentary was that the dangerous effects of this disaster are so obvious, so widespread and such a tragic indignity to human life," said Jhilam Biswas '05, one of the students who attended the May 3 screening, "yet in the United States, we hardly hear about the incredible deformities many children from Chernobyl suffer."
Umbareen Mahmood '06 had a similar reaction, calling it "one of the most eye-opening things" she has ever seen.
She thought the film struck a chord with people because "it is stark evidence of how privileged our existence is and how we take so much of our medical technology for granted, particularly the fact that we can afford and have access to such advanced methods." She added, "We don't even realize what exists in other parts of the world until we are confronted with images like those from the documentary."
Due to the excellent response to the original screening, "Chernobyl Heart" will be re-screened in Collis Commonground on Thursday, May 19 at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
If you missed the original screening of the documentary, you now have a second chance, so be sure not to miss it.
