Pandora's Promise

{{Infobox film

| name = Pandora's Promise

| image = Pandora's Promise.jpg

| director = Robert Stone

| editing = Don Kleszy

| music = Gary Lionelli

| released = {{Film date|2013|06|12}}

| runtime = 87 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| gross = $66,680{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=pandoraspromise.htm |title=Pandora's Promise (2013) |website=Box Office Mojo |accessdate=24 September 2013}} ("Domestic Total as of Aug. 8, 2013")

}}

Pandora's Promise is a 2013 documentary film about the nuclear power debate, directed by Robert Stone. Its central argument is that nuclear power, which still faces historical opposition from environmentalists, is a relatively safe and clean energy source that can help mitigate the serious problem of anthropogenic global warming.{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h0sXC00bs6M_Jb4gB85wl-La-P2w |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122064637/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h0sXC00bs6M_Jb4gB85wl-La-P2w |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 22, 2013 |title=Pro-nuclear activists get pulpit at Sundance |last1=Raynaldy |first1=Romain |date=19 Jan 2013 |publisher=Agence France-Presse |accessdate=27 September 2013}}{{YouTube|id=IIMbj67Mz9s|title=Pandora's Promise - Q&A at the IFC Center's Stranger Than Fiction Series|link=no}} (Pandora's Promise's channel){{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/06/pandora_s_promise_producer_nuclear_energy_is_necessary_to_fight_climate.html |title=Orthodox Environmentalists Don't Want You to See My Environmental Film |last1=Stone |first1=Robert |date=20 June 2013 |website=Slate |accessdate=27 September 2013}}

The title is derived from the ancient Greek myth of Pandora, who released numerous evils into the world, yet as the movie's tagline recalls: "At the bottom of the box she found hope."

People

The film features several notable individuals who were once vehemently opposed to nuclear power but who now speak in favor of it,{{YouTube|id=pLkBdD-sM8E|title=Pandora's Promise: Talks at Google}} (AtGoogleTalks channel) including Stewart Brand, Gwyneth Cravens, Mark Lynas, Richard Rhodes and Michael Shellenberger.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paul-allen-lends-support-pro-559512 |title=Paul Allen Lends Support to Pro-Nuclear Doc 'Pandora's Promise' |last1=Kilday |first1=Gregg |date=29 May 2013 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=25 September 2013}}

Anti-nuclear advocate Helen Caldicott is questioned{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/pandoras-promise-movie-review/2013/06/13/55232302-cf9a-11e2-9f1a-1a7cdee20287_story.html |title='Pandora's Promise' movie review |last1=O'Sullivan |first1=Michael |date=13 June 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=25 September 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928123154/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-06-13/news/39945376_1_nuclear-power-film-fukushima |archive-date=28 September 2013 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=198444052|title=Film Rankles Environmentalists By Advocating Nuclear Power|author=Robert Siegel|date=3 July 2013|website=NPR|accessdate=20 June 2014}} and along with Harvey Wasserman appears briefly at the beginning.{{Refn | group="note" |

The footage of Caldicott (first "Unidentified Female" in the CNN rush transcript, linked below) and Wasserman (first "Unidentified Male" in same) was taken at a post-Fukushima rally,{{cite tweet |author= Robert Stone |user= RobertStoneFilm|number= 504250396257550336 |date= 26 Aug 2014 |title= @ConradKnauer @PandorasPromise ha! Yes that's me. Those who claim I manipulated her ranting to make her look crazy should watch this. |access-date= 26 Aug 2014 }} When asked if he is visible filming for Pandora's Promise in a YouTube video of the "No Nuke Rally 2011", the director replied: "ha! Yes that's me. Those who claim I manipulated her ranting to make her look crazy should watch this." some details of which were published in: {{cite web|url=http://www.westchesterguardian.com/10_13_11/wg_10_13_fin.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113093819/http://www.westchesterguardian.com/10_13_11/wg_10_13_fin.pdf|title=Anti-Nuke Rallies Urge for Closure of Indian Point|author=Abby Luby|website=Westchester Guardian|date=13 October 2011|archive-date=13 January 2014}} In summary, about 300 people attended the protest on 1 October 2011 at Pier 95 in New York City's Hudson River Park, which called for closure of the Indian Point Energy Center. John Hall, Karl Grossman and others spoke as well.

Video recordings of Caldicott's speech from the event have been posted online:

{{YouTube|id=p1JvJWGlOGk|title=Dr. Helen Caldicott speaks out at No Nuke Rally 2011 against Nuclear Reactors}}.
{{YouTube|id=HPVFVpNFSKo|title=Closing Indian Point with Dr. Helen Caldicott, October 1, 2011|link=no}}.

{{YouTube|id=wpOD_pAySoQ|title=Why let dickheads run the world? Congress belong to you.|link=no}}. (Also has Wasserman's speech at the end.)

}} Historical clips of Jane Fonda, Ralph Nader and Amory Lovins speaking are used.

Richard Branson is credited as an executive producer,{{cite web |url=http://thebreakthrough.org/index.php/programs/energy-and-climate/virgins-richard-branson-defends-nuclear/ |title=Virgin's Richard Branson Defends Nuclear |author= |date=20 December 2013 |website=The Breakthrough Institute |accessdate=12 January 2014 |archive-date=12 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112101014/http://thebreakthrough.org/index.php/programs/energy-and-climate/virgins-richard-branson-defends-nuclear/ |url-status=dead }} as are Paul and Jody Allen, whose production company, Vulcan Productions, helped provide financial support. A total of $1.2 million (US) was raised to finance the film, "particularly through Impact Partners, which provides documentary financing from individual investors. Mr. Stone said the money came mainly from wealthy who have worked in Silicon Valley."{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/movies/pandoras-promise-and-the-documentary-festival-circuit.html?pagewanted=all|title=A Rebel Filmmaker Tilts Conservative|author=Tom Roston|date=14 June 2013|website=The New York Times|accessdate=28 March 2014}}

Topics

Topics mentioned or discussed in the film include:{{cite web |url=http://www.ne.anl.gov/About/headlines/20130531.shtml |title=Argonne's IFR plays a role in environmentalists' support for nuclear energy |date=31 May 2013 |website=Argonne National Laboratory |accessdate=25 September 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/13/a-film-presses-the-climate-and-security-case-for-nuclear-energy/ |title=A Film Presses the Climate, Health and Security Case for Nuclear Energy |last1=Revkin |first1=Andrew C. |authorlink1=Andrew Revkin |date=13 June 2013 |website=Dot Earth |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=26 September 2013}}{{cite magazine |url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/01/24/why-is-the-way-way-back-a-crowd-pleaser/ |title=Sundance: What makes 'The Way, Way Back' a crowd-pleaser? Plus 'Pandora's Promise,' a radically sane and important documentary about how nuclear power could save us |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |authorlink=Owen Gleiberman |date=24 Jan 2013 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |accessdate=30 September 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2013/06/04/pandoras-promise-the-triumph-of-hope-over-fear-in-nuclear-power/ |title=Pandora's Promise: The Triumph of Hope over Fear in Nuclear Power? |last=Biello |first=David |date=4 June 2013 |website=Scientific American |accessdate=30 September 2013}}Transcript from CNN's airing linked in #External links section.

Multimedia

Stock footage and movie clips are used throughout Pandora's Promise to enhance the narrative. Scenes are shown of a No Nukes concert (1979), Margaret Thatcher addressing the United Nations General Assembly (1989),Margaret Thatcher's {{cite web |url=http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/107817 |title=Speech to United Nations General Assembly (Global Environment) |date=8 November 1989 |accessdate=2 October 2013}} and from the drafting of the Kyoto Protocol (1997). Movie/TV sources include: A Is for Atom (1953), Our Friend the Atom (1957), The China Syndrome (1979), and The Simpsons (1991).

The film poster depicts a piece of metallic enriched uranium ("actual size" as printed) with the caption "What if this cube could power your entire life?"

Release

In January 2013 it was shown at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.{{cite web |url=http://filmguide.sundance.org/film/13078/pandoras_promise |title=Pandora's Promise - Festival Program |website=Sundance Film Festival |accessdate=24 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927054352/http://filmguide.sundance.org/film/13078/pandoras_promise |archive-date=27 September 2013 |url-status=dead }} In March 2013 it was shown at the True/False Film Festival.{{cite web |url=http://truefalse.org/program/films?festival=3|title=Films - True/False Film Fest|website=True/False Film Festival|accessdate=28 March 2014}} In June 2013 it won the Sheffield Doc/Fest Green Award for best addressing environmental challenges.{{cite web |url=http://sheffdocfest.com/view/films_sheffieldgreen |title=Sheffield Doc/Fest: The Sheffield Green Award |website=Sheffield Doc/Fest |accessdate=6 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130804022947/http://sheffdocfest.com/view/films_sheffieldgreen |archivedate=4 August 2013 }}

In April 2013, it was announced that CNN Films had obtained the US television rights to Pandora's Promise;{{cite web |url=http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/30/cnn-films-announces-acquisition-of-pandoras-promise-for-fall-2013-broadcast/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130924070217/http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/30/cnn-films-announces-acquisition-of-pandoras-promise-for-fall-2013-broadcast/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2013 |title=CNN Films Announces Acquisition of 'Pandora's Promise' for Fall 2013 Broadcast |website=CNN |date=30 April 2013 |accessdate=24 September 2013}} it was shown on CNN in the US on November 7, 2013,{{cite web|title=CNN Films to air Pandora's Promise Thursday, Nov. 7|url=http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/29/cnn-films-to-air-pandoras-promise-thursday-nov-7/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131104094645/http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/29/cnn-films-to-air-pandoras-promise-thursday-nov-7/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 4, 2013|website=CNN|date=29 October 2013|accessdate=3 November 2013}} and seen by 345,000 viewers.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2013/11/cnn-suffers-time-slot-meltdown-with-nuke-themed-pandoras-promise-docu-631213/|website=Deadline Hollywood|title=CNN Suffers Time Slot Meltdown With Nuke-Themed 'Pandora's Promise' Docu|author=Dominic Patten|date= 8 November 2013|access-date=10 November 2013}} It was released on Region 2 DVD{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GBYPH70 |title=Pandora's Promise [DVD] |website=Amazon.co.uk |accessdate=12 January 2014}} in December 2013. A DVD via Alive Mind Cinema was announced for 24 June 2014.[http://www.colesmithey.com/filmblog/2014/06/pandoras-promise-on-dvd.html Alive Mind Cinema Releases Sundance-selected documentary Pandora's Promise] (press release) It is also available via various digital distribution services.

Amazon Video: [https://www.amazon.com/Pandoras-Promise-Stewart-Brand/dp/B00H40VNUK]

Google Play: [https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Pandora_s_Promise?id=EdjvSmgzRKU]

iTunes: [https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/pandoras-promise/id675188533]

Netflix: [http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70267585?trkid=202653]

Reactions

Reactions to the film were generally positive, albeit with loud criticism from some quarters; e.g.:

Kennette Benedict from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists states: "Nuclear power may indeed end up being part of the energy mix that leads to both a more stable climate and adequate livelihoods around the world. But the challenges posed by nuclear power – like the risk of weapons proliferation and reactor accidents, and the need to securely store radioactive used fuel for many generations – are not adequately addressed in the film."{{cite web |url=http://thebulletin.org/pandoras-false-promise |title= Pandora's false promise |author= Kennette Benedict |date=2013-06-10 |work=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists }}
Manohla Dargis wrote a somewhat critical review.
Friends of the Earth Australia, an environmental organization, has (among other groups) denounced the movie as "propaganda".{{cite web |url=http://www.foe.org.au/pandora |title=Pandoras [sic] Promise Propaganda |website=Friends of the Earth Australia |accessdate=27 September 2013}}
Owen Gleiberman lauded it as "radically sane".
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. characterized it as an "elaborate hoax" and a "big lie".
Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists was critical of various "less-than-half truths".{{cite web |last1=Lyman |first1=Edwin |title=Movie Review: Put "Pandora's Promise" Back in the Box |url=https://allthingsnuclear.org/elyman/movie-review-put-pandoras-promise-back-in-the-box/ |website=All Things Nuclear |date=12 June 2013 |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |access-date=22 August 2021}}
Michael Moore discussed the film (among other topics) with director Robert Stone in front of an audience at the Traverse City Film Festival in July 2013.{{YouTube|id=C5LVLUo8VyA|title=Michael Moore & Robert Stone at The Traverse City Film Festival|link=no}} (Pandora's Promise's channel)
John Quiggin comments that Pandora's Promise presents the environmental rationale for nuclear power, but that reviving nuclear power debates is a distraction, and the main problem with the nuclear option is that it is not economically viable. Quiggin says that we need more energy efficiency and more renewable energy commercialization.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/08/reviving-nuclear-power-debates-is-a-distraction-we-need-to-use-less-energy |title=Reviving nuclear power debates is a distraction. We need to use less energy |author=John Quiggin |date=8 November 2013 |work=The Guardian }}
David Ropeik found it praiseworthy.
Christine Todd Whitman described it as "a very important, impactful film that should be seen by as wide an audience as possible."{{YouTube|id=-t61HfJvw9Y|title=Governor Whitman on Pandora's Promise|link=no}} (CASEnergy Coalition's channel)
Terry Tempest Williams stated "this film's strength was not that it changed my mind, which it did not, but that it expanded it".
Eric Zorn noted shortcomings, but hailed it as "the most important movie about the environment since An Inconvenient Truth".

Notes

References

External links

{{Official website}}
{{YouTube|id=bDw3ET3zqxk|title=Official Trailer|link=no}} (Pandora's Promise's channel)
{{IMDb title|1992193}}
[http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/world/cnn-films-pandoras-promise CNN Films: Pandora's Promise]
[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1311/07/se.01.html Transcript] from CNN's airing
[http://www.theage.com.au/tv/documentary/pandoras-promise-5000080.html Pandora's Promise] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921025101/http://www.theage.com.au/tv/documentary/pandoras-promise-5000080.html |date=2015-09-21 }} free to watch online (in Australia only), from The Age.
{{YouTube|id=IrEQiOclEUI|title=Robert Stone, Director of "Pandora's Promise"|link=no}}, answering questions about the film at the FCCJ, in 2013.
[http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/the-education-of-an-environmentalist/ The Education of an Environmentalist] by Robert Stone, 2016.