Director :   Anand Patwardhan
Producer :   -

Censor Rating :   NA

Duration :   130 min

Year of Production :   2002

Genre :   Documentary

Category :    Conflict

 

Synopsis :   

Filmed over three tumultuous years in India, Pakistan, Japan and the USA following nuclear tests in the Indian sub-continent War and Peace is a documentary journey of peace activism in the face of global militarism and war. The film is framed by the murder of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948, an act whose portent and poignancy remains undiminished half a century later. For the filmmaker, whose family was immersed in the non-violent Gandhian movement, the sub-continent's trajectory towards unabashed militarism is explored with sorrow, though the film captures stories of resistance along the way. Amongst these is a visit to the "enemy country" of Pakistan, where contrary to expectations, Indian delegates are showered by affection not only by their counterparts in the peace movement but by uninitiated common folk. The film moves on to examine the costs being extracted from citizens in the name of national security. From the plight of residents living near the nuclear test site to the horrendous effects of uranium mining on local indigenous populations, it becomes abundantly clear that, contrary to a myth first created by the U.S.A, there is no such thing as the "peaceful Atom".

Awards :   

* Grand Prize, Earth Vision International Film Festival, Tokyo, 2002

* International Critics' Award (FIPRESCI), Sydney Film Festival, 2002

* Best Film/Video, Mumbai International Film Festival, 2002

* International Jury Prize, Mumbai International Film Festival, 2002

* Gold Award, Indian Documentary Producers' Association, 2002

* Best Documentary, International Video Festival, Kerala, 2003

* Best Documentary, Karachi International Film Festival, 2003

* Silver Dhow, Zanzibar International Film Festival, 2003

* Best Non-Fiction, National Film Awards, India, 2004