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More than a movie: Oppenheimer Festival explores the legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Manhattan Project
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Experience a historic adventure that extends beyond the Academy Award-winning film at Oppenheimer Festival 2024.
The festival, which is in its second year, takes place Saturday, Aug. 10, through Aug. 31, at the SALA Los Alamos Event Center, 2551 Central Ave. in Los Alamos. Film premieres, classic screenings, documentaries, lectures, trivia nights and family-friendly movies are part of the event.
More than a movie: Oppenheimer Festival explores the legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Manhattan Project
Award-winning producer Larry Sheffield will premiere his documentary film, 鈥淭he Atomic Rocketeer,鈥� at the event. The documentary tells the story of Wernher von Braun, a German scientist, and his band of rocketeers that were acquired by the United States after the fall of Germany. Several showings of the film will take place throughout the event.
A premiere lunch with Sheffield will be held at noon on Saturday, Aug. 10, and Sunday, Aug. 11. A red carpet dinner and a meet and greet with Sheffield will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10.
鈥淎lamogordo, Center of the World, Trinity 1945,鈥� created by Sheffield and Trent DiGiulio, and Sheffield鈥檚 鈥淥ppenheimer After Trinity鈥� also will have showings at the event.
鈥� 鈥極ppenheimer After Trinity鈥� is a film that we also premiered in Los Alamos,鈥� said Allan Saenz, festival organizer and owner of SALA Los Alamos Event Center. 鈥淲e will have all three of (Sheffield鈥檚) films. The first one that he did is 鈥楢lamogordo, (Center of the World, Trinity 1945)鈥� and that one is a short film. So it is 28 minutes. ... And then we will have 鈥極ppenheimer After Trinity鈥� that expands more on what happens with Oppenheimer after Trinity and also what happened with the removal of his clearance. He addresses the process and also how years later he got his clearance back. In the film, (Sheffield) interviews Charles Oppenheimer, the grandson of Oppenheimer. So it is a really interesting film.鈥�
Several showings of 鈥淔irst We Bombed New Mexico鈥� by Lois Lipman will be part of the festival. The film tells the story of the Trinity Test, the world鈥檚 first nuclear bomb detonation that occurred in New Mexico a month prior to the bombing of Hiroshima. It takes a deep look into the tragic consequences and 鈥済overnment betrayal鈥� faced by thousands of New Mexicans who are primarily Hispanic and Native American, according to the event website.
鈥淲e were able to contact the director,鈥� Saenz said. 鈥淥n Aug. 17, she will come, and we will have a dinner with her, do a screening, do a question and answer, and then after that, we will have more opportunities for people to watch the film as well.鈥�
The acclaimed film showings continue with 鈥淥ppenheimer,鈥� directed by Christopher Nolan, that was filmed on location in Los Alamos. The cinematic masterpiece tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist behind the atomic bomb during World War II.
Classic films that relive the era of the Manhattan Project will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays during the event. Films include 鈥淒ay One,鈥� 鈥淔atman and Little Boy,鈥� 鈥淒r. Strangelove鈥� and 鈥淭he Beginning or the End.鈥�
Family-friendly film showings are part of the PJs and Movies series. Families can come in their pajamas and enjoy a light breakfast and an animated movie. Films include 鈥淎stro Boy,鈥� 鈥淭he Iron Giant,鈥� 鈥淛immy Neutron Boy Genius鈥� and 鈥淭he Lego Movie.鈥�
Lectures that explore a wide range of topics related to the Manhattan Project will be presented by experts, directors and historians who will discuss the impacts, legacy and different perspectives of the era in history.
Presentations include 鈥淭he Santa Fe Internment Camp in the Shadow of Los Alamos (1942-1946)鈥� with Nancy Bartlit; 鈥淛. Robert Oppenheimer: A Legacy of Big Science at Los Alamos;鈥� 鈥淛apan鈥檚 Longest Day: The Dramatic Story of the End of WWII鈥� with Bartlit; and 鈥淐ommunity in Conflict鈥� with Claudia Katayanagi.
鈥淭hat one is actually pretty interesting,鈥� Saenz said of Bartlit鈥檚 presentation. 鈥淪he did a documentary about the camps that they built in Santa Fe during World War II, where they brought people from different places of the United States, Japanese Americans, Japanese that they brought and they held them in Santa Fe. She created this documentary on the impact, on the effects of World War II, even in Santa Fe. We鈥檙e really excited about that one.鈥�
Fun and educational trivia will have eventgoers putting their thinking caps on. 鈥淥ppenheimer Science, Mission, Legacy & Atomic Trivia鈥� will take place at 11:30 a.m. every Saturday of the event. 鈥淎lamogordo Center of the World Trinity 1945 & Historic Trivia鈥� will happen at 5 p.m. every Saturday of the festival.
Eventgoers can also enjoy live painting sessions with artist Margarita Ryan and musical performances.
鈥淭his is a famous artist that has worked with us in the past,鈥� Saenz said. 鈥淪he has created these Oppenheimer paintings. She will be there selling some of her art and also she will be creating some art. It is also about working with kids in teaching them how (to create) smaller paintings.鈥�
Eventgoers also are encouraged to venture out on their own and discover the rich legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project through self-guided and guided walking tours. The 鈥淥ppenheimer Film Tour鈥� explores iconic locations featured in the Christopher Nolan film. 鈥淟os Alamos History Walking Tours鈥� offers guided tours led by local historians. Tour participants will learn about the town鈥檚 transformation during and after the Manhattan Project. The 鈥淢anhattan Project National Historical Park Tour鈥� features significant locations of the atomic bomb development. Visits to the Bradbury Science Museum and Pajarito Environmental Education Center also are advised. Tour maps and information is available at .
