67 Bombs to Enid: A Review

How do you continue when you feel the world is ending?

It’s a question some in Enid, Oklahoma have had to face for more than four decades.

Academy Award Winning Executive Producer Errol Morris and crew deliver a hopeful and heartbreaking documentary in 67 Bombs to Enid—a snapshot of the ongoing struggle of Marshallese Islanders who have migrated from the shores of the South Pacific to the plains of Oklahoma.

Part biographical storytelling, part historical documentary, 67 Bombs to Enid showcases the Marshallese people advocating for their culture while facing a country that has seemingly washed its hands of the fire and ash it left behind.

Co-directors Kevin Ford & Ty McMahan bring to the forefront a community still grappling with the consequences of American exceptionalism after the Second World War—the indigenous people of the Marshall Islands—who follow the promises of America to the Heartland but are not granted the dignity of a vote, Medicaid, or citizenship.

A prominent fixture of the documentary—the youth of the Marshall Islands and educators in Enid who support their transition to Oklahoma. These educators in Enid serve as a bridge between two worlds, embracing and supporting children who continue to come to the United States with aspirations of building a better life.

While the documentary shines a spotlight on this community, it avoids broader political discourse that could hamper the storytelling and dull the emotional beats. The filmmakers instead use powerful, personal interviews to show the resilience of the Marshallese Islanders through displacement and the fallout of nuclear testing.

67 Bombs to Enid serves as a benchmark for documentaries focusing on the people impacted by injustice and celebrating their heritage.

The film is currently on it's festival run and will be available to stream in the near future.

Watch our exclusive interview with Co-directors Ty McMahan and Kevin Ford here.

MORE dEADCENTER COVERAGE:

1. 67 Bombs to Enid: War brings Marshallese to Oklahoma
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