Support "The Seeds of Peace: A Documentary Film"

Please help us complete this documentary and share Hideko's message of peace and how it has resonated with the people of Oregon.

Hideko Tamura Snider was ten years old when the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on her family home in Hiroshima. At 90 years old, Hideko is one of the few living Hiroshima survivors in Oregon. For the past four years I've been working on a documentary film, The Seeds of Peace, that follows Hideko’s effort to plant trees in Oregon grown from seeds of trees that survived the Hiroshima atom bomb. With hundreds of hours of footage, we are editing this feature length film into its final form and hiring a team of post production specialists. We need your help to complete this film and share Hideko's story!

I began working on this film just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. We've had many stalls and hurdles, but the powerful symbolism embodied in these trees that miraculously survived the atom bomb, coupled with Hideko's personal story of survival and dedication to nuclear nonproliferation has kept us moving forward. I've traveled hundreds of miles across Oregon to interview and document the many Oregonians that have received Hideko's seeds of peace and planted their own Hiroshima peace trees in their communities to serve as a lasting reminder for peace and the costs of nuclear war.

While each peace tree in Oregon began as a seed of Hideko’s message, we discover that every tree has taken root in a community with a symbolic meaning.

Each community planting reflects a diverse set of experiences and perspectives ranging from: Japanese Americans who faced forced incarceration during WWII, communities rebuilding from wildfires, adults in custody at the Oregon State Prison, Veterans groups remembering the true costs of war, and students advocating for peace.

I traveled to Hiroshima to document the mothers of all Oregon Hiroshima Peace Trees. These trees were incredibly close to the hypocenter of the atom bomb and they stand today as living reminders of the destruction and horrors of war. In Hiroshima I was able to meet the leaders of the United Nations' Hiroshima Peace Tree project and meet the individuals people who packaged, collected, and care for the trees and seeds sent to Oregon.

This film reflects how peace has multiple meanings in communities across the state of Oregon, the U.S., and the world. The film will demonstrate the importance of seeing each other as neighbors, the power of mutual respect even when we hold differing views, openness to simple conversation, and gratitude for the fragile beauty of life.

I'm grateful for your support. I need to raise funds to cover the costs of post production animation, sound, music, color, and narration that will help this important story reach wider audiences.

Your donation, however large or small, will help us complete this film and share Hideko's message far and wide.

You can also help us by sharing this campaign with others and join our mailing list. Help us build an audience in your community so we can bring the completed film to you!

My sincere thanks,

Dave Hedberg

Historian and filmmaker

www.theseedsofpeace.com