In 2010, SeaWorld Killer Whale Tilikum drowned its female trainer Dawn Brancheau during a live performance and while many people never found out about this drowning, it’s the third time this captive whale has been connected to a human death. In the wild, Orca’s rarely ever kill or injure humans but in captivity these mammals can drastically change, such is the focus of the upcoming documentary by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Blackfish.
The trailer for Blackfish gives us a chilling look at what many of us think is a humane and safe practice of capturing and training whales but upon viewing it’s clear to see that isn’t necessarily a case. It goes into some depth about how bringing these animals into captivity and exposing them to strenuous conditions can lead them to develop a “psychosis” that isn’t safe for any human being nor the whale itself.
Though completely different in almost every aspect, the trailer for Blackfish reminds me of the Oscar winning documentary The Cove since part of that film had to deal with the creation of Flipper and the global market for capturing and selling dolphins into captivity for our enjoyment.
I’ve only seen positive reviews for this film so far and, as a result, it has been pushed up to the #1 spot on my must-see documentary list for this summer. Take a look at the trailer below and see if it’s something you’d be interested as well. I have a feeling that anyone who has seen Free Willy or has been to a show would be remotely interested at the very least.
Many of us have experienced the excitement and awe of watching 8,000-pound orcas, or “killer whales,” soar out of the water and fly through the air at sea parks, as if in perfect harmony with their trainers. Yet, in our contemporary lore this mighty black-and-white mammal is like a two-faced Janus—beloved as a majestic, friendly giant yet infamous for its capacity to kill viciously. Blackfish unravels the complexities of this dichotomy, employing the story of notorious performing whale Tilikum, who—unlike any orca in the wild—has taken the lives of several people while in captivity. So what exactly went wrong?
Shocking, never-before-seen footage and riveting interviews with trainers and experts manifest the orca’s extraordinary nature, the species’ cruel treatment in captivity over the last four decades, and the growing disillusionment of workers who were misled and endangered by the highly profitable sea-park industry. This emotionally wrenching, tautly structured story challenges us to consider our relationship to nature and reveals how little we humans have learned from these highly intelligent and enormously sentient fellow mammals.
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