The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) is capitalizing on the attention surrounding Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-nominated film “Oppenheimer” to initiate a campaign aimed at sparking conversations about the nuclear threat.
Ahead of the Academy Awards ceremony, NTI is launching the “Make Nukes History” campaign in Los Angeles. The campaign will utilize various mediums, including billboards, art installations, an open letter published in the Los Angeles Times, social media videos, and more, to raise awareness about the existential risks posed by modern nuclear arsenals.
A notable aspect of the campaign is a letter signed by actors such as Matthew Modine, Tony Goldwyn, Michael Douglas, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Viggo Mortensen, Emma Thompson, Rosanna Arquette, and Charles Oppenheimer, grandson of J. Robert Oppenheimer and an activist. In the letter, they emphasize the ongoing relevance of nuclear weapons and call for global leaders to prioritize efforts to eliminate them, emphasizing the need to safeguard families, communities, and the world.
The campaign’s billboards and posters feature messages like “Oppenheimer Started It, We Can End It” and “13 Oppenheimer Nominations; 13,000 Nuclear Weapons,” drawing attention to the film’s narrative and the urgent need to address the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
NTI Co-Chair and CEO, and former Secretary of Energy, Ernest J. Moniz highlighted the importance of political will in addressing nuclear threats, echoing Robert Oppenheimer’s warnings about the dangers of developing increasingly powerful weapons and the ensuing arms races. Moniz emphasized the need for public demand to drive political action towards nuclear disarmament.
“Oppenheimer” has garnered significant acclaim during the awards season and is considered a frontrunner for the Oscars’ Best Picture category. The film portrays the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his team of scientists’ development and design of the atomic bomb.