Blackfish (film)
| Blackfish | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Gabriela Cowperthwaite |
| Produced by | Manuel V. Oteyza Gabriela Cowperthwaite |
| Written by | Gabriela Cowperthwaite Eli Despres Tim Zimmermann |
| Music by | Jeff Beal |
| Cinematography | Jonathan Ingalls Christopher Towey |
| Edited by | Eli Despres |
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Production
company |
CNN Films
Manny O. Productions |
| Distributed by | Magnolia Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2.3 million |
Blackfish is a 2013 American documentary film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite. It concerns Tilikum, an orca held by SeaWorld and the controversy over captive killer whales. The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2013, and was picked up by Magnolia Pictures and CNN Films for wider release. It was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary.
The documentary concerns the captivity of Tilikum, an orca involved in the deaths of three individuals, and the consequences of keeping orcas in captivity. The coverage of Tilikum includes his capture in 1983 off the coast of Iceland, and purported harassment by fellow captive orcas at Sealand of the Pacific-- incidents that Cowperthwaite argues contributed to the orca's aggression. The film includes a testimonial from Lori Marino, Director of Science with the Nonhuman Rights Project. Cowperthwaite also focuses on SeaWorld's claims that lifespans of orcas in captivity are comparable to those in the wild, typically 30 years for males and 50 years for females, a claim the film argues is false. Other interview subjects include former SeaWorld trainers, such as John Hargrove, who describe their experiences with Tilikum and other captive whales.
The documentary reports that the whales have experienced extreme stress when their offspring were captured in the wild or when separated after breeding at water parks. The film features footage of attacks on trainers by Tilikum and other captive whales and interviews with witnesses.
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