Honorable Mention to HIBAKUSHA – WANDERING SOUL

Brazilian-Japanese film director Joel Yamaji received an Honorable Mention at the 15th Uranium International Film Festival in Rio de Janeiro for his documentary “Hibakusha – Wondering Soul.” The award ceremony took place on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Cinematheque of the renowned Museum of Modern Art (MAM Rio).

6 June 26 https://www.filmfestivals.com/blog/uranium_film_festival/honorable_mention_to_hibakusha_wandering_soul

JURY STATEMENT

Hibakusha – Wandering Soul is a very artistic film. The music combining modern and old (for instance The Song of the Apple of 1945) and sound-effects using the Shakuhachi flute, drums, the gong and sometimes total silence were wonderful. Also typical usages of the Japanese symbols of the Samurai (for resilience), the Origami Crane (for peace) and of the Noh-Theater (in this case for madness and devilishness and impermanence) gave the film a very distinctive Japanese character, especially for those who are not familiar with Japanese culture. What I found especially successful was the use of the shadow. In the tradition of Tanizaki Junichiro´s `In Praise of Shadows´, the black and white film successfully depicted the fleeting light of mankind and time, I thought. History, the past, passes away like a whirling lantern of memories and life is mysterious, sweet, and happy. One can have hope for the future.“ Makiko Hamaguchi-Klenner, Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of East Asian Studies, Ruhr University Bochum and Member of the IUFF Jury

AWARD ACCEPTANCE STATEMENT

“We are very happy and grateful for the Honorable Mention awarded to our film. It is a special gift for us, because it comes from a Festival grounded in humanist ideas and purposes at a time when interests in immediate technocratic power are prioritized. A Festival that, for 15 years, has dedicated itself to disseminating and promoting the exchange of cultural experiences in a world still based on the consequences of a war that, in the words of the Japanese people, was not just World War II, the War of the Atomic Bomb: it was the War of us all, it belongs to us all. This Honorable Mention is quite significant for us who made the film about atomic bomb surviver Mr. Morita Takashi, who passed away at 100 years old, lucid, professing a world for Peace, in truth. For that it also belongs to him and to all the hibakusha, victims of an act of violence imposed by men. `I learned that I should never again think of anyone as an enemy. The logic of war leaves no room for human dignity.´ The Festival, made with the vibrant joy of a team whose youthful spirit is contagious, will remain in my memory. Long live the International Uranium Film Festival!” Joel Yamaji, Screenwriter and director of “Alma Errante (Hibakusha – Wondering Soul”

“It is with immense pride and deep emotion that we celebrate the achievement of the film Hibakusha – Wandering Soul, awarded a well-deserved honorable mention at the prestigious International Uranium Film Festival. This award represents not only recognition of the technical and artistic excellence of the work, but also the validation of an urgent and vital message that documentary cinema carries with it. The award ceremony gained an even more special shine with the presence of director Joel Yamaji, who was there in person to receive the honor and masterfully represent all the dedication, talent and heart of the team that made this project a reality. The event, which has established itself as one of the main global showcases for raising awareness about nuclear issues, reflects the tireless work and vision of its organizers, Marcia Gomes de Oliveira, Founder and Executive Director of the festival, and Norbert Suchanek, Founder and General Director, who continue to open fundamental spaces for stories of such human and social impact to reach the world. Seeing `Hibakusha – Wandering Soul´be revered on a stage of such international relevance is a testament to the power of independent cinema and an unforgettable milestone for everyone involved in this transformative cinematic journey!” Producer of “Alma Errante (Hibakusha – Wondering Soul”

HIBAKUSHA – WANDERING SOUL (ALMA ERRANTE – HIBAKUSHA)

Brazil, 2025, Director: Joel Yamaji, Producer: Joel Pizzini and Juliana Domingos, Grão Filme, Documentary, 20 min. / The film merges poetically reconstructed documentary fragments recreated as traces of the past with dreamlike images to express the imaginary of Hiroshima survivor Takashi Morita, who emigrated to Brazil and became a peace activist, turning his life itself into a message to future generations about the horror and senselessness of war.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

For 15 years the International Uranium Film Festival (IUFF) raises awareness about the risks of atomic power and promotes nuclear disarmament with independent films and panels of experts around the globe. In October 2024, Hollywood’s MovieMaker Magazine named it one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World 2024”. And in 2025, the festival’s founders, Márcia Gomes de Oliveira and Norbert Suchanek, received the prestigious “Nuclear-Free Future Award” in New York City in the category education. The Uranium Film Festival especially in Rio focuses very much on the young generation.

„You’ve never seen two people get more done than the life and project-partner duo Márcia Gomes de Oliveira and Norbert G. Suchanek, who run the International Uranium Film Festival in deep collaboration with activists around the world. The festival has its grand event in Rio, but also does an extensive U.S. tour in regions impacted by uranium-related industry. Inevitably, folks wonder whether there are enough films on the subject to warrant a festival. The answer is yes. This, of course, is because the issue is expansive, impacting all 50 U.S. states and many more corners of the world than most folks realize. From the Navajo Nation to Las Vegas to Chicago and many places between, this spirited DIY art, advocacy, and activism project brings folks together in a space of support, education, shared outrage, and a good time. The Uranium Film Festival is a refreshing example of what activism and advocacy can be: inclusive, expansive, and celebratory.“ Hadley Austin, MovieMaker Magazine

Think globally, act locally.

We thank our local supporters in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro: Armazém de São Thiago, Esquina de Santa, Bar do Mineiro, and Cachaça Magnífica de Faria for providing delicious local meals and drinks for filmmakers, audiences, and festival staff. And we thank our international supporter from California, the Samuel Lawrence Foundation.

Festival Team
Márcia Gomes de Oliveira
Founder & Director

Email: uraniofestival@ gmail.com

Norbert G. Suchanek
Founder & Director

Email: norbert.suchanek@ uraniumfilmfestival.org

Libbe HaLevy
Ambassador of the International
Uranium Film Festival to the USA
Los Angeles
www.nuclearhotseat.com

Website– https://uraniumfilmfestival.org