Oppenheimer was one of the biggest films of 2023. Helmed by Christopher Nolan, with Cillian Murphy playing the protagonist, accolades poured in from every corner. It was a cinematic masterpiece, and Nolan’s ability to portray the plot tactfully spoke volumes about his sensitivity as a director.
Oppenheimer was a global box office phenomenon, except in Japan, where the film was not released at all last year. There were no official statements about it at the time, but it was understandable since Japan was devastated by the atomic bomb.
However, the film will finally hit the screens in the country this year, almost eight months after its global release. Unsurprisingly, the former mayor of Hiroshima is not very happy about the screening.
Why is the former mayor of Hiroshima unhappy with Oppenheimer?
Christopher Nolan is one of the most respected directors in Hollywood. With films such as Inception and the Batman trilogy under his belt, Nolan has left an indelible mark on the film industry and the audience as well.
The filmmaker did it again with his last project, even though it was quite a challenge. The biopic chronicles the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, and how the nuclear weapon came to be. Cillian Murphy played the titular role in the project.
Oppenheimer found tremendous success at the Academy Awards this year, winning seven Oscars, including one for Best Picture. This feat left the residents of Hiroshima in an awkward spot since the memory of the ruin it wrought is still fresh.
Bitters End Inc., the distributor of the film, held a discussion panel in Hiroshima ahead of its release in the country. Takashi Hiraoka, the former mayor of Hiroshima, was one of the panelists, and he did not hold back on his criticisms.
He brought up how the film failed to show how the bomb wrecked the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Moreover, he added that, by avoiding it, Nolan missed his chance to truly highlight the evils of a nuclear weapon, and how Japan had to pay the price with the lives of nearly 200,000 people. “The film was made in a way to validate the conclusion that the atomic bomb was used to save the lives of Americans,” said Hiraoka (via Asahi).
The screening of Oppenheimer divided the panelists
Bitters End Inc. screened the film to a small audience ahead of its wider release later this month. Also in attendance was Tatsuya Mori, an independent filmmaker.
Mori understood Nolan’s decision not to include pictures of the aftermath of the bombs. He said that while the film did approach the tragedy indirectly, the effect it had on the audience was just the same.
Arthur Binard, the third panelist, praised Nolan and Murphy for capturing the dilemma of the scientist. He further added that the film would hold the door open for more discussions and allow people to read more about the story they have been told.
Noa Yamanishi, a student, was also at the screening. “It drove home the point that we should act immediately to prevent nuclear war,” she said (via Asahi).
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has opened up discussions on a very important topic once more. It will hit the screens in Japan on March 29th this year.
