If You Love This Planet

Terre Nash,
1982,
25 min 50 s

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Synopsis
Point Of View
Education

This Oscar®-winning short film is comprised of a lecture given to students by outspoken nuclear critic, Dr. Helen Caldicott, president of Physicians for Social Responsibility in the United States. Her message is clear: disarmament cannot be postponed. Archival film footage of the bombing of Hiroshima and images of its survivors seven months after the attack heighten the urgency of her message.

Katerina Cizek

Manifesto Point #7: The social and political goals – and the process itself — are paramount. Ask yourself every day: why are you doing this project? If You Love this Planet could be considered a precursor to An Inconvenient Truth. It’s based on a lecture given by physician and anti-nuclear activist Dr. Helen Caldicott. The film, directed by Terre Nash, went on to win the Oscar for short documentary after being officially designated as "foreign political propaganda" by the U.S. Department of Justice. The film was made at the NFB’s Studio D, the first permanent, state-funded women's film unit in the world, created in 1974. Undoubtedly, the directors and producers were very clear about the question: Why are we making this film?

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Douglas Roche

“It’s appropriate to be passionate” about ridding the world of nuclear weapons. That’s what world-renowned nuclear disarmament activist Helen Caldicott says in this film. It’s interesting that U.S. President Ronald Reagan said the same thing. But Helen means it.

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Grade 10 - 12

Social Studies / Contemporary Issues

Science / Environmental Science

History / World War II

Civics/Citizenship / Ideologies

Teaching Guides

Guide 1 | Guide 2

Educational purpose:

A fact-filled introduction to a class discussion on the horrors of nuclear war and the arms race. Comment on the speaker’s use of frightening statistics. Debate whether her fears for the future are justified. It has been almost 30 years since she gave this speech. Have her predictions come to pass? Suggest as many reasons as you can. A group discussion could include suggestions as to how individuals can put pressure on politicians to ensure her predictions are never realized. This film deals with mature subject matter .

Maureen Rossong, Halifax Regional Municipality, NS