Radon's Daughters Debuts at Santa Fe Film Festival
The new film explores local history through the lens of a family celebration held in a contaminated site.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Science Fiction
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The Santa Fe International Film Festival features the premiere of Radon's Daughters, a film centered on two families meeting for a Día de los Muertos celebration. The narrative unfolds within an abandoned, uranium-contaminated church.
Why it matters
The filmmaker drew on local history, specifically the cleaning of radioactive garments from Los Alamos National Laboratory, to explore the impacts of government research and uranium mining on local families.
The Santa Fe International Film Festival is showcasing over 300 hours of entertainment content throughout the event. This total includes the debut of the new film feature Radon's Daughters.
The players
Los Alamos National Laboratory
This facility is a multidisciplinary research institution that has historically engaged in nuclear research and development.
Santa Fe International Film Festival
The festival is a regional cultural organization that hosts film screenings and creative events for the Santa Fe community.
The details
The film follows two families mourning losses linked to historic government lab research and uranium mining in the region. The premise was inspired by a laundromat on Siler Road that processed radioactive materials from Los Alamos National Laboratory for decades.
Timeline
1990s: Laundromat cleaned radioactive garments from laboratory.
Industry Dynamics
The film utilizes the historical contamination of garments at the Siler Road laundromat to anchor its fictional narrative in regional reality. This approach reflects a growing trend of independent filmmakers using hyper-local environmental history to fuel science fiction premises.
Residents and film enthusiasts can access the festival content, which includes over 300 hours of programming at various local venues. Attendees are encouraged to check the official festival schedule to secure tickets for the screening of Radon's Daughters.
The takeaway
This film provides an artistic reflection on the long-term community effects of government laboratory research. Viewers interested in regional history may find the film's integration of actual environmental events to be a poignant look at local heritage.
Further reading
Discover more regional storytelling at Santa Fe Science Fiction.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Santa Fe New Mexican.
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