Chernobyl documentary wins Oscar

[Elena Gapova]

I am not sure this is about "culture", but may still be useful.
Elena Gapova

BelaPAN, Belorusskiye Novosti, 02.03.2004
 (www.naviny.by/)


US documentary about Chernobyl wins Oscar

Independent US filmmaker Maryann DeLeo won the Oscar in the Best Short
Documentary category with a film about the aftermath of the Chernobyl
accident.
Chernobyl Heart, the film she produced and directed, beat two other US
documentaries, Sandy McLeod and Gini Reticker's Asylum and Katja Esson's
Ferry Tales at the 76th US Annual Academy Awards held on Sunday. This was
the first Oscar nomination for all of the four filmmakers.
The 79-minute film is about the effects of radiation on Belarusian children
almost 16 years after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Shot over a two-year period in the Chernobyl-affected regions, it documents
the terrible effects of radiation, and the high levels of cancer, birth
defects, and heart conditions suffered by the regions' children.
Chernobyl Heart prominently features the work of the Irish-based Chernobyl
Children's Project and its executive director, Adi Roche.
Ms. DeLeo collaborated closely with Ms. Roche and her associates and
traveled to radioactively contaminated areas with the Project during 2001
and again in late 2002.
Ms. Roche expressed hope that audiences everywhere would soon get the
opportunity to view the documentary.
"It is a powerful testament to a forgotten tragedy and it gives us the
opportunity to raise awareness, especially in America, on the issue and
plight of the Chernobyl victims," she said.
The Project formed a sister organization in the US, Chernobyl Children's
Project International.
"This great accolade gives us the chance to spread the message there and
raise urgently needed funds," she said.
Ms. Roche said that it was a great honor for the Project to be associated
with an Oscar-winning documentary.
In the run-up to the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, it was
announced that HBO, the US cable television network, will broadcast
Chernobyl Heart in the coming weeks.
On receiving her prize, Ms. DeLeo paid tribute to Ms. Roche and her work
with the child victims. She described the work of Adi Roche as being that of
"a true hero."
Founded in 1991, the Chernobyl Children's Project has helped provide
recuperation in Ireland for 10,000 Belarusian children. The organization
delivered more than $60 million in aid to affected areas.
Adi Roche has written several documentaries, research papers and a book
about the Chernobyl disaster.
Belarus received a total of $130 million in foreign humanitarian aid last
year, said the Presidential Administration's property management department.
Non-governmental organizations from 41 countries contributed $77 million.
//BelaPAN

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