{"id":8170,"date":"2024-09-01T16:30:03","date_gmt":"2024-09-01T07:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/?p=8170"},"modified":"2024-09-01T16:38:46","modified_gmt":"2024-09-01T07:38:46","slug":"i-want-to-live-on-documentary-brings-forward-voices-of-semipalatinsk-nuclear-test-survivors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/news\/i-want-to-live-on-documentary-brings-forward-voices-of-semipalatinsk-nuclear-test-survivors\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I Want to Live On\u2019 Documentary Brings Forward Voices of Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Survivors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>By\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/astanatimes.com\/author\/?author=Aibarshyn+Akhmetkali\">Aibarshyn Akhmetkali<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This article was issued by&nbsp;<\/em><em><a href=\"https:\/\/astanatimes.com\/\">The Astana Times<\/a><\/em><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Astana, Kazakhstan (INPS Japan) \u2014\u00a0Semipalatinsk nuclear test site survivors recall the devastating human cost of the Soviet-run nuclear tests that they still bear in a documentary called \u201cI Want to Live On: the Untold Stories of the Polygon\u201d during the public screening in Astana on Aug. 28.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignright is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"fapgfaBfmFQ\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I Want To Live On: The Untold Stories of the Polygon. Documentary film.\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fapgfaBfmFQ?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Directed by Alimzhan Akhmetov and Assel Akhmetova, the documentary is a compelling account of the aftermath of over 450 nuclear explosions at the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, based on the testimony of those present, most of whom have suffered various forms of genetic diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The film also sheds light on the lesser-known consequences of nuclear testing, such as the high number of suicides, contaminated land and lakes where people raise livestock, inadequate government support, and personal decisions to forgo having children to avoid passing on genetic disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Akhmetov, the personal reckonings of real people are more powerful in conveying the devastating consequences of the Semipalatinsk tragedy that persists generations later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe inspiration for this film came from the Japanese experience. When I was on a trip to New York in 2019, attending the [UN] First Committee, there was a civil society forum. One of the Japanese NGOs made a presentation that in the last ten years, they have brought in a thousand hibakusha [surviving victims of the atomic bombs]. Those people have spoken at UN venues and major American universities. Then, I realized that this is actually a strength. Often, when people work with documents and numbers, they tend to forget that there are individuals behind all of that,\u201d said Akhmetov in a comment for this story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe purpose of this movie is to make you truly look into the eyes of those people so that it resonates with you on a personal level, not as something abstract. We created subtitles for this film so that not only Kazakhs but people around the world can connect with it,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Akhmetov said he was proud of this film because it made a small but meaningful impact on concrete people\u2019s lives. One of the interviewed people, Dmitriy Vesselov, who has a genetic disorder known as Scheuthauer-Marie-Sainton syndrome, which results in the complete absence of collarbones, had not been granted disability status. After the film was released and brought to the attention of the relevant ministries, his condition was officially recognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAfter eight long years of struggle, Dmitriy was finally recognized as a disabled person. So, I think we should continue raising awareness. Many people I met, even young people in Kazakhstan, I was very surprised and shocked to learn that the young generation thinks it was many years ago, and now it has no consequences,\u201d said Akhmetov.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1023\" height=\"698\" src=\"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Documentary-event-photo-by-INPSJ.jpeg\" alt=\"(From Left to Right) Director Alimzhan Akhmetov , fourth generation nuclear testing survivor Diana Murzagaliyeva, Hirotsugu Terasaki, Director General of Peace and Global Issues, Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Photo credit: INPS Japan.\" class=\"wp-image-8174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Documentary-event-photo-by-INPSJ.jpeg 1023w, https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Documentary-event-photo-by-INPSJ-300x205.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Documentary-event-photo-by-INPSJ-768x524.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Documentary-event-photo-by-INPSJ-150x102.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Documentary-event-photo-by-INPSJ-218x150.jpeg 218w, https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Documentary-event-photo-by-INPSJ-696x475.jpeg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 1023px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(From Left to Right) Director Alimzhan Akhmetov , fourth generation nuclear testing survivor Diana Murzagaliyeva, <em>Hirotsugu Terasaki, Director General of Peace and Global Issues, Soka Gakkai International (SGI)<\/em> Photo credit: INPS Japan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>He also revealed plans to extend the film into a 40-minute documentary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOverall, the idea is to delve deeper into these stories and these heroes. We don\u2019t plan to introduce new heroes, because we have already filmed a lot of material. In general, it is more of an amateur movie. Nevertheless, there is more to unfold in the stories of the heroes already in the film. So that viewers who watched the 20-minute version can watch the 40-minute version and gain a deeper understanding of their stories,\u201d said Akhmetov.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Original Link:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/astanatimes.com\/2024\/08\/i-want-to-live-on-documentary-brings-forward-voices-of-semipalatinsk-nuclear-test-survivors\/\">https:\/\/astanatimes.com\/2024\/08\/i-want-to-live-on-documentary-brings-forward-voices-of-semipalatinsk-nuclear-test-survivors\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>INPS Japan\/The Astana Times<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Related articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/sdgs-2\/kazakhstan-takes-lead-in-global-push-for-nuclear-disarmament-amid-heightened-tensions\/\">Kazakhstan Takes Lead in Global Push for Nuclear Disarmament Amid Heightened Tensions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/sdgs-2\/kazakhstans-enduring-legacy-from-nuclear-test-site-to-leader-in-disarmament\/\">\u201cKazakhstan\u2019s Enduring Legacy: From a Nuclear Test Site to a Leader in Disarmament\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By\u00a0Aibarshyn Akhmetkali\u00a0 This article was issued by&nbsp;The Astana Times. Astana, Kazakhstan (INPS Japan) \u2014\u00a0Semipalatinsk nuclear test site survivors recall the devastating human cost of the Soviet-run nuclear tests that they still bear in a documentary called \u201cI Want to Live On: the Untold Stories of the Polygon\u201d during the public screening in Astana on Aug. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8172,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,20,16,32],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8170","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-asia-pacific","8":"category-human-right","9":"category-news","10":"category-regions"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8170"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8177,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8170\/revisions\/8177"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inpsjapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}