The production of the US-Japan co-produced film ‘WHAT DIVIDES US’ (working title) has been officially announced.
This human drama is based on the true story of American journalist John Hersey, who was the first to reveal the truth about the atomic bomb to the world, and Hiroshima pastor Kiyoshi Tanimoto. John Hersey is renowned for his detailed account of post-bombing Japan in his report ‘Hiroshima,’ published in ‘The New Yorker’ in August 1946 and later turned into a book. Tanimoto appears in Hersey’s report as an interviewee and helped with the Japanese translation of the book. The film will explore the unexpected bond between these two former enemies, as well as the power of overcoming tragedy and the strength of love.
The production team includes producers from both Japan and the US. From the US, Cannon Hersey, John Hersey’s grandson and an artist/film producer known for the documentary ‘Hiroshima Revealed,’ joins the team. Other key figures include Donald Rosenfeld, producer of ‘Howards End’ and ‘The Remains of the Day,’ and Robin Rosenfeld, known for ‘Effie Gray,’ ‘Creature Features,’ and the TV series ‘Infodemic.’
From Japan, Katsuhiro Tsuchiya, producer of ‘Ryomaden,’ ‘Yell,’ and ‘Child of the Sun,’ is part of the project along with film producer Taku Nishimae, who co-founded the NPO ‘1Future’ with Cannon Hersey. The script is penned by Elizabeth Bentley, known for the WWII film ‘A Hidden Life,’ with executive producers including Tanimoto’s daughter Hiroko Kondo, his son Tate Tanimoto, Jun Tanimoto, Shin Tanimoto, and Kanae Kawamoto.
The concept for ‘WHAT DIVIDES US’ began in 2014, with script development starting in 2022. Filming is scheduled for 2025 in the US and Japan, marking 80 years since the atomic bombings, with a global release planned. The film is seen as Japan’s response to the 2023 film ‘Oppenheimer,’ addressing the true impact of the atomic bomb that ‘Oppenheimer’ did not cover.
