101 Nuclear Bombs Dropped by the U.S. Government—An award-winning exposé uncovering the radioactive fallout of nuclear testing.
Details coming soon...
AWARDS
"I have worked in opposition to nuclear utilities since the early 1990s. That work is always best supported by intelligent presentations in film and television. SILENT FALLOUT is an excellent example of how powerful filmmaking can illuminate the most consequential of issues."
Alec Baldwin, Actor + Activist
TRAILER
“MY BODY IS MY PROOF”
STORY
Truth in the Silence —
Sixty years ago, women and children who had lost their baby teeth protected the North American continent from radiation. When five-year-old Eric answered the phone, a voice said, “This is John Kennedy. Is your mother there?”
Just 80 kilometers from ground zero, Las Vegas was swept up in the spectacle of mushroom clouds. To prove radiation exposure, an astonishing 320,000 baby teeth were collected. Honey was found to contain radioactive material at levels 100 times higher than other foods.
Synopsis
Between 1951 and 1963, the United States conducted nearly 100 atmospheric nuclear tests. These tests contaminated the entire North American continent with radioactive fallout, exposing children across the country who drank contaminated milk. The actions of women who stood up and spoke out moved President Kennedy, ultimately leading to a ban on atmospheric nuclear testing. Had the 828 underground nuclear tests conducted within the United States been carried out above ground, North America might have become a land of death. This is a miraculous true story of how women and children who lost their baby teeth saved the North American continent from radiation.
Highlights
In the spring of 2004, twenty years after first encountering this story, a long-term investigation began. Through research conducted across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, testimonies from victims and researchers, along with thousands of pages of classified documents, bring the truth to light. The film has received high acclaim at 29 international film festivals, including the Hampton International Film Festival and the St. Louis International Film Festival. Narration is provided by Alec Baldwin for the English version and Tokiko Kato for the Japanese version, leaving audiences with a deep and lasting impression.
A Story Told in Five Chapters
01
Nuclear Testing Contaminated an Entire Continent
The film opens with the testimony of Mary Dixon, who lived in Salt Lake City in the northwestern United States. It then moves to the downwind regions of the Nevada Test Site, where 100 atmospheric nuclear tests were conducted. Victims from St. George and Cedar City—areas where the U.S. government has officially acknowledged radiation exposure and provided compensation—describe the reality of their exposure.
02
Radioactive Fallout Across North America
Between 1951 and 1962, radioactive materials spread across the entire North American continent, originating from the Nevada Test Site, located just 80 kilometers from Las Vegas, which at the time was thriving on nuclear test tourism. The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission kept detailed records of radiation exposure. From the very beginning, the Commission knew exactly what was happening.
03
Mothers Against Radiation
The story shifts to St. Louis. After hearing rumors that nuclear testing was exposing children to radiation, women began to take action. If they could prove radiation exposure, they might be able to stop the tests. The key evidence turned out to be children’s lost baby teeth. As children shared their experiences, Louise Reiss—both a physician and a mother—and other women collected an astonishing 320,000 baby teeth.
04
Unsung Heroes of North America
One day, when five-year-old Eric answered the phone, a voice said, “This is John Kennedy. Is your mother there?” The baby teeth collected by these women proved that children were being exposed to radiation. Upon learning the truth, President Kennedy decided to halt atmospheric nuclear testing. America was saved from the threat of radiation.
05
Ongoing Global Radioactive Contamination
Geologist Professor James Casteel demonstrated that modern honey produced in North America still contains radioactive materials originating from nuclear tests. He explains that contamination in North America was not caused solely by domestic nuclear testing. Testimonies follow from Japanese tuna boat crew members exposed during Pacific nuclear tests and British soldiers who were used as human test subjects.
WHAT EXPERTS ARE SAYING
“Silent Fallout: Baby Teeth Talk” is the first film to feature a historical study of the fallout from atomic bomb tests that accumulated in baby teeth during the Cold War. The results of the teeth study were communicated to President John F. Kennedy and the United States Senate and helped speed the passage of the Terrestrial Test Ban Treaty. The treaty saved many lives.
The film depicts the ability of scientists and citizens to work together to strengthen public policy. The film is important not only for history, but also for recognizing the current and future health threats of nuclear testing. Due to strained relations between the United States, Russia and China, countries are now preparing test facilities to resume testing. This will be the first test in decades.
— Joseph Mangano
“Silent Fallout provides a profoundly moving account of a neglected chapter of American history that must never be forgotten. Director Hideaki Ito masterfully sheds light on the devastating and ongoing impacts of America’s nuclear weapons tests, a story too few Americans know. The film will stand as an important and essential contribution to public understanding of how far fallout from testing spread across the continent and he unexpected places where radiation is still found today.
As someone who lived with the consequences, I am forever grateful to him for his powerful and eye-opening film. After seeing it for the first time I was sobbing. I’ve waited so long for someone to make this film. It’s not just a call to action but an invitation to a necessary conversation about our nuclear past, present and future.
— Mary Dickson
Renowned Salt Lake CIty Writer/Downwinder
Executive director of the Radiation and Public Health Project + Author of Radioactive Baby Teeth
Support us
We couldn’t have made it this far without our supporters, but we still need help meeting our fundraising goal.
Your donations make our mission possible. All proceeds go toward the financing of a second screening tour and future films exploring these important issues. Director Ito’s next vision centers Ceder City, Utah.