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Friday, June 11, 2010

The Cove

So, I finally got around to watching the 2010 Oscar-winning documentary, THE COVE.

If you're wondering why I, who seriously loves well-made documentaries, took so long to watch it, it's because I knew the subject matter -- the slaughter of dolphins in Japan.

Cruelty to humans or animals not only upsets me, it also hurts me deeply. Shit, I can't even go to the zoo (haven't been for YEARS) because I can't stand to see the sad little animals in cages, so you can imagine how much I had to prepare myself before I could watch dolphins being slaughtered.

No matter how much I prepared myself, though, if the documentary would have just been two hours of cruelty to dolphins, I would have had to turn it off.

Thankfully, it wasn't.

It was really interesting and shed light on an atrocity that I didn't even know went on in our world. It also made me really appreciate the film makers who put their own safety at stake to expose what happens in the cove and the fact that the Japanese government is not only quite aware of it, but condones it and also covers it up.

The actual footage of the slaughters I did find distressing and as much as the world needs to know what goes on, I'm glad the film makers didn't exploit it for shock value, and instead gave us just a glimpse of the horror.

At least this way, when I close my eyes tonight, I won't have the images of the bloody sea in my head.

Instead, I'll have thoughts on why there aren't more people in the world who care enough about the suffering of those who are defenseless and choose to make a film about it.

Speaking of making films...

I can see exactly where I'm heading one day -- making these types of documentaries.

Seriously.

Who knows when and who knows what they will be about, but rest assured, one day...

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