JAPAN: Former dophin trainer Ric O'Barry says anti-dolphin hunt documentary does not bash Japan

Record ID: 465505

  • Title: JAPAN: Former dophin trainer Ric O'Barry says anti-dolphin hunt documentary does not bash Japan
  • Date: 9th June 2010
  • Summary: NARITA AIRPORT, JAPAN (JUNE 08, 2010) (REUTERS) **FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** EXTERIOR OF NARITA AIRPORT ARRIVAL LOBBY ARRIVAL BOARD ARRIVAL BOARD SHOWING LOS ANGELES FLIGHT SCHEDULE PEOPLE IN ARRIVAL LOBBY FORMER DOLPHIN TRAINER AND ORGANISER OF OSCAR-WINNING DOCUMENTARY "THE COVE", RICHARD O'BARRY, WALKING OUT ARRIVAL GATE O'BARRY MEETING REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER DOLPHIN TRAINER AND ORGANISER OF OSCAR-WINNING DOCUMENTARY "THE COVE", RICHARD O'BARRY, SAYING: "I'm not one of the filmmakers, so I can say that it's a very, very good movie. And I just hope people will go, see it and make up their own mind about it. It's not Japan-bashing in any way. We love Japan, we love the Japanese people." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER DOLPHIN TRAINER AND ORGANISER OF OSCAR-WINNING DOCUMENTARY "THE COVE", RICHARD O'BARRY, SAYING: "I hope the theatre owners in Japan will allow it to be seen." O'BARRY WALKING OUT
  • Embargoed: 24th June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Communications,Environment / Natural World
  • Reuters ID: LVA2L98QP618Q1KY6P6O7M0CI9Q0
  • Story Text: Former dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry, who helped organize "The Cove", an Oscar-winning anti-dolphin hunt documentary defended the film in Japan on Tuesday (June 8).
    "I'm not one of the filmmakers, so I can say that it's a very, very good movie. And I just hope people will go, see it and make their own mind about it. It's not Japan bashing in any way. We love Japan, we love the Japanese people," O'Barry told Reuters upon arriving at Japan's Narita Airport near Tokyo.
    The former dolphin trainer is in Japan to promote the film as numerous Japanese theatre owners have been threatened by protesters calling for cinemas to drop the film, believing the film gives Japan a negative image.
    Recently, the first cinema due to show "The Cove" in Japan has bowed to pressure from right-wing protest groups and pulled the documentary from the theater.
    According to the film's distributor, Unplugged, the theater has been inundated with phone complaints.
    A small but vociferous nationalist group has been protesting in front of the distributor's office and outside the home of the company's president.
    O'Barry said he hopes theatre owners will not be swayed by the protests.
    "I hope the theatre owners in Japan will allow it to be seen," said O'Barry.
    Directed by former National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos, the film follows a group of eco-activists who struggle with Japanese police and fisherman to gain access to a secluded cove in Taiji, in southern Japan, where dolphins are hunted.
    It features graphic footage of dolphins being herded into the cove and slaughtered, but also notes that dolphin meat is eaten by a very small percentage of Japanese people.
    The movie also features O'Barry, who worked as a dolphin trainer on the 1960s television series "Flipper", as he helped organize the effort to chronicle the dolphin hunt in Taiji.
    The documentary won the Oscar for best feature documentary in March and was shown at the Tokyo International Film Festival last fall.
    The film's distributor said at this time only a few cinemas nationwide still plan to show the documentary this summer.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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