Documentary on nuclear weapons dangers to screen at Campus Theatre
Posted: November 01, 2010
By Kathryn Kopchik
LEWISBURG, Pa. — The documentary, "Countdown to Zero," will be shown Monday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. in the Campus Theatre in downtown Lewisburg.
A panel discussion will be held in conjunction with the film, with participants discussing the implications of the documentary as well as answering the audience's questions about nuclear weapons science and policy.
Panelists will include Andrew Portocarrero, executive vice president of the World Security Institute, the organization that produced the film. Joining Portocarrero will be Bucknell faculty members Keith Grant, visiting assistant professor of political science, and Michael Johnson-Cramer, associate professor of management.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is co-sponsored by the Bucknell Student Government.
Nuclear weapons dangers
"Countdown to Zero" focuses on the dangers posed by nuclear weapons and the importance of moving toward a world without them. The film was one of only two documentaries selected by the Cannes Film Festival this year and has been shown at the United Nations, the CIA, and select theaters throughout the nation for the past few months.
The film traces the history of the atomic bomb from its origins to the present state of global affairs. Nine nations possess nuclear weapons capabilities with others racing to join them, with the world held in a delicate balance that could be shattered by an act of terrorism, failed diplomacy or a simple accident, according to the film.
Written and directed by acclaimed documentarian Lucy Walker ("Devil's Playground" and "Blindsight"), the film features an array of important international statesmen, including Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, Pervez Musharraf and Tony Blair.
The film was produced by Academy Award-winner and 2009 nominee Lawrence Bender ("Inglourious Basterds" and "An Inconvenient Truth") and developed, financed and executive produced by Participant Media, together with World Security Institute.
Contact: Division of Communications
