2:00 PM: Half-Life of Memory: America’s Forgotten Atomic Bomb Factory with director Jeff Gipe
5:00 PM: HALF-LIFE OF MEMORY with director Jeff Gipe
In the suburbs of Denver, the U.S. secretly manufactured thousands of atomic weapons, leaving behind a toxic legacy that will persist for generations.
The Rocky Flats plant produced a staggering 70,000 atomic bombs, each serving as a “trigger” for thermonuclear warheads. Concealed by government secrecy, the plant’s fires, leaks, and illicit dumping of nuclear waste contaminated the Denver area with long-lived radioactive toxins.
A major—and highly visible—plutonium fire sparked a decade of mass protests, culminating in an unprecedented FBI raid that ultimately shuttered the plant. Today, the radioactive legacy of Rocky Flats continues to threaten public health, yet surprisingly few people are aware the plant ever existed.
Through powerful testimonials and extraordinary archival media, Half-Life of Memory exposes Rocky Flats’ dark past and enduring impact, prompting critical reflection on the implications of the nation’s renewed nuclear weapons buildup.
Year: 2024
Runtime: 55 minutes
presented by the Boulder Environmental Nature Outdoors Film Festival AND DAIRY ARTS CENTER.
As the director of Half-Life of Memory, I am honored to share this film, which explores the complex and contested legacy of the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant. This project is profoundly personal to me, as my father is among those who worked at Rocky Flats and endured the severe consequences of the nuclear arms race.
Half-Life of Memory is not just a film; it is a personal mission to unveil the concealed realities of Rocky Flats and to amplify the voices of those who have been affected. Through meticulous research and heartfelt testimonials, Half-Life of Memory exposes the lasting impacts of nuclear arms production on individuals and communities.
With rising nuclear tensions and a new buildup of nuclear weapons underway, addressing the radioactive legacy of Rocky Flats is more urgent than ever to ensure that lessons from its past are not ignored.
Half-Life of Memory stands as a tribute to my father, to all the workers who sacrificed their well-being, and to the countless lives impacted by nuclear weapons production. It is my hope that this film will honor their stories and serve as a catalyst for meaningful action.
10,000+ protesters surrounding Rocky Flats refuge
Rocky Flats site