'67 Bombs to Enid' wins best documentary at deadCenter film festival

"67 Bombs to Enid" tells the story of Marshallese survivors of U.S. nuclear testing and their growing community in Oklahoma.

Thursday, June 19th 2025, 10:45 am

By: Brooke Cox

A powerful new documentary telling the story of nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands and its impact on thousands now living in Oklahoma has won Best Documentary at the deadCenter Film Festival.

A Story of Survival and Legacy

67 Bombs to Enid, co-directed by Ty McMahan and Kevin Ford and produced by Brandon Kobs, follows the journey of Marshallese residents from their devastated homeland in the Pacific to a growing community in Enid, Oklahoma.

The film centers on the generational effects of U.S. nuclear testing and the lingering health and immigration challenges faced by the Marshallese.

A haunting clip from the documentary features survivor Millhen Karben recalling the moment of an explosion:

"And all of the sudden this bright red thing appeared. And people were shouting, 'That's the end of the world, you know.' It was that image that takes everything out of your mind. You have to get out of the water, find somewhere to be safe. I ran to my house and tried to hide where I can find a place that I was safe, but when it’s the end of the world, you just wait for the time to make you vanish."

History Behind the Title

The film’s title refers to the 67 nuclear bombs the United States tested on the Marshall Islands after World War II—tests conducted on land still inhabited by the Marshallese people.

While many Americans are familiar with the two bombs dropped on Japan, far fewer know about the U.S. government's decision to detonate dozens more across the Pacific.

"We decided to test nuclear weapons. We did it on the people. We did it on their land," McMahan said. "The next step of that is a complicated immigration arrangement with the Marshall Islands, which allows them to come back and forth to the United States."

Community and Impact

An estimated 10,000 Marshallese people now live in Enid, with more than 1,000 Marshallese students enrolled in the public school system. Karben and Jen Fields of Enid Public Schools played key roles in helping the filmmakers build trust within the community.

The film also highlights legal challenges facing the Marshallese, particularly around immigration and healthcare access. Attorney Stump, featured in the documentary, details the complexities that limit full benefits for Marshallese immigrants who contribute to U.S. communities but aren't granted the same rights as citizens.

"These people have generational sickness—cancers, diabetes. They’re truly sick," McMahan said. "We want people to ask what more can we do for these people, after we've destroyed their land?"