Director's Statement on 8:15 Hiroshima: From Father to Daughter

The events of August 6, 1945 are often viewed with a wide angle lens; black and white photos and facts and numbers found in one of the many tragic chapters that fill our history books. The names and faces of the victims lost now to time, fading from our collective memories.

My aim was to tell a story both timeless and universal. This is a film about the horrors of war, the enduring love between parent and child, the resilience of the human spirit and the power of compassion and forgiveness.

My mission as an artist is to unveil hidden truths about the human condition, to give voice to the voiceless and to make the invisible, visible. This mission informs my creative process and I hope is reflected in the films that I make.

The making of 8:15 was guided by many angels. When dealing with sacred themes, I find one is often greeted with chance occurrences, visits with kismet and blessings from the divine. The process of filmmaking is often a dance between control and surrender, so with a heart full of gratitude you hold on for dear life, listen to the universal heart beat and smile as you float across the dance floor.

Love to the wonderful cast and crew we got to dance with.

With all my heart,

J.R. Heffelfinger

“My aim was to tell a story both timeless and universal. This is a film about the horrors of war, the enduring love between parent and child, the resilience of the human spirit and the power of compassion and forgiveness.”