Documentary Australia Foundation

Bomb Harvest

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Synopsis

Laos: Australian bomb disposal specialist Laith Stevens has to train a new young “big bomb” team to deal with bombs left from the Secret War, but meanwhile, the local children are out hunting for bomb scrap metal. This timely story is terrifying and yet filled with eccentric characters and moments of humour, and gives us a fresh and lyrical view of the most bombed country on the planet.

Impact

The film will reach a wide audience through its ABC screening (55 min) and a small theatrical release (88 min). It screened at the Sydney Film Festival 2007 (to a standing ovation) and it has now been sent to international festivals to launch it on the international circuit. The filmakers received many positive reviews and it has been nominated for many awards (eg IF Awards, ATOM, the Australian Directors Guild Awards, etc).

The film has raised a lot of discussion about the largely forgotten country of Laos and how people are still living with the impact of unexploded bombs that the US dropped during a campaign which had been forbidden by a Geneva Accord. As the film had a small theatrical release there were a lot of press reviews about the film, many of which asked why the US isn't clearing up its mess it left over 40 years ago. The film also raises issues for today's wars - a reminder of what is to come from the wars of today and how we should question what we are being told about current wars by our politicians (the film included archival footage of denials of the US bombing campaign by key US political figures). The filmakers did a number of Q & A cinema screenings of the film. At a recent screening, a wealthy philanthropist volunteered to pay for and arrange for copies of the film to be sent to hundreds of senators in US Congress in the hope that it will open wide discussion about the issue and encourage more money to be put into the cause of clearing the bombs left in Laos.

Many people have enquired about the organizations depicted in the film who are clearing bombs in Laos and how they can contribute to the cause.

Quotes from Australian media reviews

“Thoroughly entertaining despite its grisly subject matter…conveys its messages subtly and skillfully…Moving…and quite often laugh-out-loud funny. Stevens is a wonderful character: nerveless, affable, empathetic with the locals and a larrikin to boot…. There are some 'you must be kidding' moments as the trainees attempt to dismantle 500 pound bombs, any of which could turn them into 'pink mist' with one false move… One of the best movies I've seen this year.”

Bruce Clarke, thescene.com.au

“Compelling” - Garry Maddox, Sydney Morning Herald

“Fascinating…powerfu" - Tracey Prisk, The Daily Telegraph

“Multi-layered…gripping…it bites deep into the wounds of the Vietnam war and America's secretive bombing campaign… Powerfully anti-war in the most humane sense… the story is personal as well as global… The touches of down to earth Aussie humour seem entirely appropriate amidst the danger and the destruction… Bomb Harvest is a significant work that touches on all the ugly politics of war.”

Andrew L Urban, Urban Cinefile

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