Bomb Harvest

Over 35 years ago, during the Vietnam War, American bombs rained down on Laos in the ‘Secret War’, leaving it the most bombed country, per capita, in history.  The deadly legacy of this destruction continues, with the country still scattered with unexploded ordnance.

A huge live bomb is found behind a village school and straight-talking, laconic Australian bomb disposal specialist Laith Stevens arrives to check it out. He’s in the process of training a new ‘big bomb’ team, so reluctantly leaves the bomb’s disposal until the team is up to the task. Reluctant, because rural poverty has triggered a brisk illegal trade in bomb scrap metal and the local children are out hunting for bombs.

In order to find the right person to deal with the very dangerous bomb behind the school, Laith will take his team of fledgling bomb disposal specialists down to a remote area of the Ho Chi Minh Trail where they will test their new skills on live bombs for the first time.

With the Lao ability to find the humour in horrific circumstances, Laith uses his larrikin jokes and can-do attitude to bond with the team and local villagers in order to get them through this harrowing task alive.

But will they get back to the bomb behind the school in time?

Bomb Harvest vividly depicts the consequences of war and the unimaginable bravery of those trying to clear up the mess. It takes us into a post-apocalyptic world that reminds us of what is to come from the wars of today.

The Bomb Harvest film crew were granted an unprecedented 2 months on the ground with bomb disposal teams and live bombs, in areas of Laos which have never been filmed in before.

Director/Cinematographer Kim Mordaunt       
Producer Sylvia Wilczynski
Written and researched by Kim Mordaunt and Sylvia Wilczynski
Editor Adrian Rostirolla   
Original Music composed by Caitlin Yeo
Sound Recordist Daniel Miau  
Sound Design Michael Gissing