07/23/09
Text: Kee Chang
You might recall seeing footage of Hayden Panetierre paddling out to sea on a surfboard with a group of anti-whaling activists to save dolphins from slaughter in Taiji, Japan back in 2007. Although their demonstration caught on with large media outlets at the time, their efforts largely faded from our collective consciousness. Two years later, the story resurfaces in a big way with Louie Psihoyos’ inciting documentary, The Cove, which garnered the Audience Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The ultra-rare glimpses of the atrocities unfolding in the secret cove of Taiji are truly jolting and hard on the eyes.
At the film’s core is Richard O’Barry, an unflinching activist who helped capture and train dolphins for the iconic 60s TV series “Flipper.” Although he speaks with candor and stern conviction, it’s easy to see that he didn’t walk away from the show unscathed. O’Barry recounts an important turning point in his career in which Cathy (Flipper) took her last breath in his arms. This led him on a powerful crusade against the captivity and slaughter of dolphins. For him, “The Cove” is an act of redemption. “We’re not making a movie, we’re trying to start a movement,” O’Barry tells Anthem.
“But why slaughter dolphins?” you might ask. In the case of Taiji, the fishermen are looking to export select dolphins to marine parks around the world, each boasting a hefty price tag (in one instance, Ocean World nabbed a dolphin for a whopping $154,000). The remaining dolphins, which accounts for most of those captured, are killed and packaged for consumption—another pressing issue the film hopes to address. Hundreds of samples of dolphin meat tested in markets around Japan have been shown to be toxic with extremely high levels of Mercury, far exceeding their ministry of health recommendations. “The Japanese people don’t even know that this is going on. If this film gets out, I think it’s all over with. They have a right to know,” explains O’Barry.
File The Cove under one of the more important films to watch this summer. It jabs and punctures your heart and you can bet your bottom dollar that viewers will walk away deeply affected.
The Cove gets its limited run starting July 31. But in the meantime, you can head over to Save the Dolphins and help create awareness.
