Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ MOVIE SOCIETY
PRESENTS
GLOBAL EVENT ON THE Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST NUCLEAR TESTS
THE BRINK OF WAR
FEATURING A CONVERSATION WITH FILM DIRECTOR Michael Russell Gunn
VIRTUAL GLOBAL LAÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵCH (LIVE & ON DEMAND): Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵITED NATIONS
Saturday, 29 August 2026
9:00am EST (New York Time)
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Global YouTube:
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ WebTV:
On Saturday, 29 August 2026, on the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ International Day Against Nuclear Tests, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Movie Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council is honoured to present a special conversation with filmmaker Michael Russell Gunn, director of THE BRINK OF WAR.
THE BRINK OF WAR is based on the incredible true story of the 1986 Reykjav¨ªk Summit in Iceland, where President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met inside H?f?i House for a high-stakes, closed-door negotiation at the height of the Cold War. Stripping away political theater, the film captures two opposing leaders locked in intense dialogue as they confront the existential threat of nearly 70,000 nuclear weapons and dare to imagine the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals. Though the summit ultimately collapsed over disagreements regarding the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), the mutual trust forged in that room paved the way for the groundbreaking 1987 INF Treaty a year later. By highlighting how direct, honest communication averted global catastrophe, the film serves as a powerful testament to the necessity of diplomacy on the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ International Day Against Nuclear Tests.
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ International Day Against Nuclear Tests reminds us that dialogue, mutual understanding, and the courageous pursuit of peace remain our strongest safeguards against atomic escalation and nuclear annihilation. Established by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly to raise global awareness about the catastrophic dangers of nuclear testing, this observance underscores that even the deepest geopolitical divides can be bridged when nations choose dialogue and negotiation over confrontation. THE BRINK OF WAR dramatically reinforces this vital message, showing that true leadership requires looking past suspicion to secure a safer, nuclear-weapon-free world for future generations.
Movies hold the unique power to promote universal ideals, principles, and values so deeply enshrined by the United Nations, including peace, development, respect for human rights, cultural appreciation, the dignity of the human person, and equal rights for all. Founded at the United Nations Headquarters by Brenda Vongova, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Movie Society is committed to championing the goals and values of the United Nations through the universal language of motion pictures.
PROGRAMME
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Movie Society
of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council
Brenda Vongova, Artistic Director
Interview with Michael Russell Gunn,
Director of THE BRINK OF WAR
Written Message by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General
for the International Day Against Nuclear Tests
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SPECIAL THANKS
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Department of Global Communications
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Executive Office of the Secretary-General
Speechwriting Unit
Angel
Sarah Amro
Junket Productions, Inc.
Opening and Closing Music
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council
Brenda Vongova, Artistic Director
JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833 - 1897) Six Pieces for Piano, Op.118: 2. Intermezzo in A Major, Andante teneramente (arr. for Viola and Piano)
Jeremy Kienbaum (Viola), Brenda Vongova (Piano)
