Blackfish-the Movie made it’s Florida premiere at Miami Film
Festival on March 3, 2013. Since reading
the early buzz on the film I couldn’t wait to see it. Growing up in the Orlando area, SeaWorld was
always my favorite park to visit. I was in
awe of the beauty and power of the killer whales. As so many others, I dreamed of being a whale
trainer one day. I could spend hours
watching them and studying the every move of everyone who worked with
them. Little did I know what was
happening behind the scenes.
Blackfish opens with the haunting 911 calls after Dawn
Brancheau was brutally attacked and killed by Tillikum, SeaWorld’s now infamous
killer whale. The film proceeds to
document a series of unfortunate events and early warning signs that were hidden
and ignored for the purpose of greed.
Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite tastefully chooses to tell
the story without the addition of sensationalism. Using only original footage and personal
interviews of former trainers who have worked with Tilikum and other whales at
SeaWorld and other various marine parks, the story unfolds. Cowperthwaite adds expert input from other professionals to pull together a clear picture of
what happens behind the scenes and the long term impacts.
“Just the facts” is the format for Blackfish. After seeing and hearing the facts, no one with
a conscience could possibly visit SeaWorld in the same light again.
