Blair Mott and I had a truly inspiring experience February 10th 2010. I would like to share his take on the evening. Blair thanks for getting my there and sharing your words with us all.
When I arrived at the Lobero Theater with Bob Evans it was a good hour before the film was to begin. The Lobero is the oldest working theater in California and is a great venue, we have both seen a lot of shows there and Bob has even presented his work inside the theater accompanied by live piano music.
Sandra Squires, Executive Coordinator for Jean-Michel Cousteau, was the first to arrive from our group and she walked up with The Cove poster for the backdrop during the Q & A and awards presentation after the film.
She stopped to take photos and swap stories. Thanks Sandra and good luck to all your efforts in saving the planet. I remember seeing the head of the communications department at SBCC, various ocean activists, enthusiasts, local Natural History Museum staff, plus a plethora of local and out of town individuals who were jazzed for the night. We were then soon joined by Dr. Marc Grandle Alki Chiropractic and Myotherapy, Kirsten Candy ,Holly Lohuis from Ocean Futures Society
and Michal Hanrahan President and co-founder of the Ocean Channel.
Mike deGruy has been the head of the Reel Nature Series for the SBIFF for years and he stopped by. We had a chance to talk about the success of the Reel Nature series this year and about the man himself Ric O’Barry being on-site for the show.
Holly Lohius immediately whipped out her book to ask Mike if he could help her get the book signed for her son Gavin. They devised a plan and something about 8:45, green room and it was another covert OPS in the works. Mike had to run, so we moved inside and when we started to move down the isles we could not get 5 rows into the theater before we ran into Fred Benko from the Condor Express and started a pile up in the theater as our group broke into a barrage of greetings as almost everyone in the group began reconnecting with someone else in the theater. Energy was everywhere and the Lobero was the prefect backdrop.
The Film……is….a MUST SEE!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t know, but I believe if you find someone who has not seen it, I was one of them, tell them it is about poison and they might leave behind their thoughts of watching a movie filled with dolphins being massacred in an unknown cove in Japan. Just a thought.
The blend of allowing us to see a bit of the mobilizations and “behind the curtain” moments drive the film for me and they were inserted appropriately throughout the film. There is excellent historical footage and an extremely visually compelling sequence of a dolphin blowing air rings and manipulating the rings with its sonar and body movement that leaves in you in awe of the intelligence of the mammal. Bob and I will be talking about that forever. I have heard and read about Ric O’Barry for years, mostly from Holly Lohuis, but having him in the film allowed me to get to know him and become a bigger fan!
Among many, one thing that sticks out in my mind was when Ric O’Barry brought the point of- “this is not a cultural issue- we could not win that argument, this is not an emotional issue– we eat cows they eat dolphins etc…– we could not win this either, but we can win because this about health” Japan is poisoning their people by selling them contained dolphin meat. They are actually selling poisonous meat to humans, dolphin meat no less, dolphins can you believe that!
The film is well put together and allows the audience to feel the energy behind a story that needs to be told because it can start a change in the world. Mike deGruy hosted a conversation session with the Director Louis Psihoyos and Ric O’Barry that covered filming making, inspirations and anecdotes with nothing left behind.
Ric O’Barry is trying to get 1000 people to Tijia, Japan September 1st and he opened the invitation to everyone last night at the show. Get your frequent flyers miles ready and go the website as he said they will be posting more info on how to get on board. September 1st 2010 we need THOUSANDS of people in Taiji, Japan. Thanks for the invite Ric!
Afterward Peter Howorth presented the David Attenborough award to The Cove received by Louie Psihoyos and Ric O’Barry and the lights came on.
I asked Holly if she had Ric O’Barry’s signature on her book that he wrote and she sheepishly said she tried, but no. Bob said let’s go and try again, Holly hesitated and I looked and Bob and said,” Get her backstage NOW!” they took off and the theater started to let out.
I did a resonances mission and located Simon Hutchins – Expedition Director for The Cove and Director of Expeditions for OPS, Charles Hambleton – Clandestine Operations -The Cove as well as Mary Jo Rice from the Earth Island Institute. They all stayed late after the show and when the staff of the Lobero finally kicked us out they hung around a bit more to talk and take pictures. Thanks a lot guys and your respective dates for staying till the very end. Out of the 150 plus people that were there that night we the remaining 9.
Myself and Simon Hutchins talk logistics and life on expedition.I look forward to keeping in touch and keeping informed! Thanks for inspiring us all!
All photos shot by Bob Evans
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