The director of an eco-documentary about dolphins has offered to donate the Japanese profits of the project to the same people he exposed in the film – but only if they stop hunting the marine mammals. Filmmaker and activist Louie Psihoyos hopes that this will help encourage the hunters to abandon their now infamous dolphin trade, Associated Press reports.
Psihoyos teamed up with other activists, filmmakers, explorers, divers and adrenalin junkies to create a covert feature-length documentary about an annual hunting event in the town of Taiji. The film, called The Cove, exposes the cruel and unsustainable hunting practices of the local fishermen as they capture thousands of dolphins using drive-fishing methods and a natural cove along their coast.
The director was back in Japan for the screening of the movie at the Tokyo Film Festival amid strong opposition from Taiji locals. The last minute decision to show the documentary came after intense international pressure from conservationists and filmmakers, the Guardian reports.
Despite reservations from the organisers, the film sold out and became a highlight of the festival. According to Associated Press, however, coverage from the local media remains restrained due to concerns of a backlash.
The Japanese government has been quick to defend the dolphin hunt as part of their unique culture. “People in different countries eat all kinds of things, depending on their culture. I’d like people to understand that cultures are diverse,” says Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada.
A spokesman from the Japanese foreign ministry also added: “Please remember that only a very small number of Japanese people catch and eat dolphins.”
Psihoyos believes that most people in Japan will oppose dolphin hunting if the issue became more prominent in the social consciousness. “This is not an animal rights film. This is a people’s rights film for the Japanese people. Once the Japanese people see this film, I think they will shut down the cove,” he explains.
He also added: “If we can get the film out to the Japanese people, I think it will be a huge victory for the Japanese people.”
The film has already been released in countries like Australia, Germany, Singapore and the UK. It has also been shown in various international film festivals in Ireland, Italy, and the US. Producers are still awaiting a decision regarding a general release in Japan.
Psihoyos, a respected photographer and co-founder of the Ocean Conservation Society, was inspired into action by a dolphin trainer-turned-activist Ric O’Barry, who used to work for the popular TV series Flipper.
O’Barry had a change of heart when one of the five dolphins he trained for the show committed a form of suicide in his arms. He has been campaigning to save dolphins ever since.
Dolphins are sociable and intelligent creatures. They have a long history of showing compassion for humans, often saving lives in times of maritime trouble.
Despite an international whaling ban, thousands of dolphins are still caught in Japan for the purposes of food and entertainment. Hunting these gentle mammals remains legal in the country because they are too small to be considered as ‘whale’.
Approximately 23,000 dolphins are killed each year in Japan, and over fifty percent of those chosen for entertainment also die within two years of captivity. The annual hunt in Taiji alone attracts an estimated 2,000 dolphins every season.
Psihoyos hopes that his film raise international awareness and ultimately stop dolphin hunting in the twenty-first century. He concludes: “I think it’s going to be a huge win for the dolphins. Those are my real clients.”
Written for EMMA Interactive
by Patrick Camara Ropeta
October 2009
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