USA, 2011, 92 min, English
In 2010, the United States announced the first new nuclear power plant construction in over 32 years. The "Nuclear Renaissance" was born, and American's long stared expasion of nuclear energy was infused with new life.
Acutely topical - given the recent Fukushima disaster in Japan - The Atomic States of America convincingly encapsulates both the history of this allegedly clean source of energy and our collective denial of a potentially looming disaster at our aging sites. Firsthand narratives from people connected to the nuclear industry blend with the behind-thescenes debacle of maintaining legitimate regulation. Potent, emotionally powerful, and highly revealing, Don Argott and Sheena Joyce's film does an outstanding job of opening our eyes to the reality of nuclear power. "We all live downstream from something,"McMasters reminds us in this cautionary call to action.