SCOTTISH filmmaker David Newbigging is making a fictional documentary, called Benchmark 6, about an accident on Trident.
The film takes place ten years after an accident on board HMS Vengeance, one of the UK’s Trident submarines. Told through fake archive footage from the day of the accident and interviews with experts, the film’s director hopes to give a new perspective on nuclear weapons in Scotland.
Newbigging, the Bafta New Talent-winning director currently raising money to make the film, said: “I’ve lived next door to the UK’s nuclear weapons my entire life. One of my earliest memories is asking my dad what the glow was coming from the Argyll hills at night.
“It was the lights from Faslane and the US base in the Holy Loch. I remember being terrified when he explained it to me.”
In the film, HMS Vengeance gets into trouble on the Clyde, and a reactor problem escalates out of control.
“Everyone at the peace camp has watched the trailer for the film and we can’t wait to see it when it’s made,” said a spokesperson for Faslane Peace Camp.
“This is such an interesting idea and it’s very important that the public realises what Trident is capable of. People get so fixated on the jobs and defence argument that it gets forgotten that these weapons could have devastating consequences.”
The making of the film has also been backed by Ronnie Cowan, MP for Inverclyde, who said it could draw attention to the potential danger.
“Sometimes it takes a dramatisation of the known facts to make people sit up and take notice,” he said.
Dr Rowland Dye, activist and former nuclear physicist, pointed out that Trident is expected to cost over £200 billion and the production process exposed the population to “unacceptable risk”.
“Basic maths shows just one Trident submarine could wipe out nearly fifty million people – that’s genocide,” he said.
“Given Britain’s history of brutal aggression, from colonialism to recent wars, it is obvious the true purpose of these nuclear weapons is not defence but to project power on the world stage by intimidating other countries for financial gain.
“This film shows the very real possibility of a fire on a Trident submarine and the terrible consequences – I think this could galvanise the public to campaign harder to stop this terrible weapons system.”
Benchmark 6 is currently crowdfunding at socialscreen.co.uk/films/benchmark-6.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel