War and peace = Jang aur aman

Filmed over three tumultuous years in India, Pakistan, Japan and the USA, following nuclear tests in the Indian sub-continent “War and peace” documents a journey of peace activism in the face of global militarism and war. Examines the costs being extracted from citizens in the name of national security and the plight of residents living near the nuclear test site, as well as the horrendous effects of uranium mining on local indigenous populations. Filmmaker Anand Patwardhan presents ordinary Indians vying for peace and taking part in grass roots activism in light of India’s increased interest in nuclear power. He also examines the impact of American policy and the way in which American points of view (in particular ‘might is right’) has derailed the arguments about the perils of nuclear warfare. One segment is devoted to examining the legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - which continue to remain contentious subjects for the US military. The Smithsonian Institute for example experienced conflict from the government when it mounted an exhibit about the after-effects of the nuclear manoeuvrings of World War 2. A post-credit sequence briefly addresses September 11 terrorist attack. This is an intelligent, insightful and important work. Awards: Grand Prize, 2002 Earth Vision Film Festival (Tokyo) ; Best Film, 2002 Mumbai International Film Festival (India) ; International Jury Prize, 2002 Mumbai International Film Festival (India) ; Critic’s Prize (FIPRESCI), 2002 Sydney International Film Festival; Best Film, 2002 Indian Documentary Producers Association’s (IDPA).