During the Gulf War, thousands of soldiers and civilians were exposed to toxic, irradiating dust particles by the use of depleted uranium tank penetrators. Used extensively not only in the Gulf but in Bosnia and Kosovo, these DU weapons effectively destroy heavy armor and fortified bunkers, yet they release very fine uranium oxide particles, which may be inhaled or ingested. Though the long-term effects are highly contested, there is little indication that the U.S. military has warned soldiers or civilians about the possible adverse health and environmental effects. Blending broad issues of history and memory with the near ubiquitous control of war imagery by the military, Downwind raises questions about the true human cost when the desire for total victory outweighs the moral obligations of ‘humanitarian intervention’. Directed by Jawad Metni, USA, 2001, 50 min.

Cosponsored with the Department of Cinema and Photography, Cinema on the Edge, the Office of the Provost, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the Environmental Studies Program, Ithaca College.