Critically Acclaimed Documentary To Premiere In Niagara, Ontario In Support of Defendants Slapped With Marineland Lawsuits

By Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

A film reviewer for the great alternative media voice, called ARTVOICE in Buffalo, New York, recently wrote that Blackfish – a documentary film that takes an uncompromising look at the lives of whales performing at amusement parks that go out of their way, as the film reviewer says, brand themselves as “family friendly – is “seriously inappropriate” viewing for children.

An image from the film Blackfish

Although I have only seen a few graphic outtakes and read a number of write-ups on the this film, and have not yet sat through the entire film as the ARTVOICE reviewer has, I am tempted to take issue with any idea that the film ought not to be viewed by children. After all, more than a few elementary school teachers, with the apparent blessing of the school boards that employ them, have taken their classes on day trips to marine mammal parks like Sea World and, closer to home, Marineland in Niagara Falls, on the grounds that it is an “education experience” for the young ones.

Well if that is true, then why not offer these same children a more well rounded education by exposing them to a viewing (perhaps it should even be mandatory viewing in our schools) of this critically acclaimed film? After all, they are probably going off in a dark corner, when their dopey parents are more pre-occupied with other matters revolving around careerism and binging consumerism than they are around the obscene crud their kids are watching online or on some cable programs. So why not watch a film that includes some images of captive whales in a marine mammal park quite literally chewing up some of what might be, more politely called, their guardians. Should that not be part of the educational experience as well?

Before this post fades from those who may like to comment on it, I’d like to hear an answer to that question from the public school teachers out there who thing that a trip to a place like Marineland is an educational experience without getting the kind of alternative view expressed in this important film.

Blackfish, which is already being talked about by reviewers across North America this year as a likely Oscar contender in the documentary film documentary, will make its Niagara, Ontario premiere this September 27^th for one night only at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School in St. Catharines. The screening is part of a fundraiser for four individuals who have been slapped with million-dollar-plus lawsuits by Marineland for speaking out about what they believe to be abusive conditions for marine mammals and other creatures at this five-decade-old park, which continues to see hordes of visitors stream through its ticket gates each year.

The four defendants in question include Niagara area animal activist Mike Garrett, former Marineland animal trainers Phil Demers and Christine Santos, and former Marineland animal care supervisor John Hammond, all of whom plan on fighting charges that they have made false claims that have the potential to damage the reputation of the park and those who own and manage it. For their part, Marineland’s owners and operators have always insisted that they take excellent care of the animals under their custody.

Blackfish does not mention Marineland specifically. But it does offer up a scathing indictment of marine mammal parks in general, and of Sea World (one of Marineland’s most prominent U.S. counterparts) in particular. By all accounts I’ve read from reviewers from The New York Times, etc., it presents a side of these operations – that of callously and gr. It powerfully presents the views that a number of marine mammal biologists and others have been trying to broadcast to the public at large for many years – that keeping whales like Orcas (more poorly derogatively know by their captors and way too many in the idiot end of the public as “killer whales”) is an act of cruelty against these magnificent creatures, in and of itself, and may very well cause them to act in abnormal or aggressive ways.

This whale does not belong here, behind glass in an amusement park, but in the sea. Those who don’t understand that have no respect for these wonderful friends of our earth.

This is reportedly seen in the film around an Orca at an Orlando, Florida Sea World Park called Tilikum by its captors – a whale that has been involved in the deaths of at least two people, including a teenage trainee at a Sea World site. He all you teachers out there, why don’t you have the courage to teach your young students some more? Never mind a mindless day trip to a place like Marineland.

Let me leave the next few thoughts to one of those brave four slapped with a lawsuit from Marineland. Mike Garrett shared some of the following thoughts with Niagara At Large –

“While the film focuses on the orca Tilikum and his journey from the
wild into captivity where he was involved with the deaths of three
different people,” said Mike Garrett, “the film highlights the captive marine mammal
industry as a whole.  Bringing the film to Niagara where we have our
own captive marine mammal park in Marineland will have an important
impact.

Blackfish exposes the reality and consequences of taking highly
intelligent and socially complex mammals such as orcas from their
natural habitats and into captivity where they are exploited for
entertainment, breeding and ultimately profits. This film will take
an open minded viewer beyond the fuzzy feel good TV commercials and
radio jingles where places like Marineland and Seaworld have
controlled the public message for decades.’

”We have sent an open letter to Niagara area politicians including
Niagara Falls City Council and area MP’s & MPP’s inviting them to the
screening,” Mike Garrett continued. “We sincerely hope they come with an open mind and leave with a better understanding of why many of their constituents are concerned about places like Marineland.”

Indeed, it would be just as instructive for many of our Niagara politicians to show up to see this movie as it would be to show it in elementary schools so that those kids can go home and say to their dizzy parents – ‘No mom and dad, you might think that a trip to a place like Marineland is a blast, but I don-t thing so – especially for those animals.’

So here is my final suggestion. Go see what film critics across the continent are calling a “mesmerizing, psychological thriller,” and a “haunting” and “riveting” documentary – but go see it a the first-ever screening of it in Niagara, Ontario to support the defense funds of the four people mentioned above.

The film viewing at the Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School auditorium on September 27^th at 7 p.m. will be accompanied before and after by commentary by former Sea World trainer Samantha Berg, who will be at the event in person to speak and answer questions, and by Dr. Naomi Rose, a marine biologist who is a Washington, D.C.-base humane society representatives who is also featured in the film and has spoken out against the captivity of marine mammals at sites like Marineland for many years.

For tickets to this event, the proceeds of which will go for the defense of the four individuals mentioned above, you can purchase them at the door, on the evening of the filming at the school, for $15, or for $10 in advance at Rise Above Restaurant 120 St. Paul St. in St. Catharines.

If you have already made up your mind, one way or another, about marine mammal amusement parks, or if you are still undecided, give this important film event a chance.

In the meantime, click here for more info on the film http://blackfishmovie.com/about  and, for the official trailer for the film, click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G93beiYiE74 .

(Niagara At Large invites all of those who dare to share their first and last name with their views on this issue to share a comment in the space below.)