Tonight, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2020 premieres “Whales Without Walls,” a short film about the Whale Sanctuary Project.
The 5½-minute film opens with stunning footage of orcas in the wild. Charles Vinick, Executive Director of the Whale Sanctuary Project, draws on his work returning the captive orca Keiko to the ocean in 1998 to describe what life is like for whales in the open ocean, where they can travel 100 miles a day.
And Lori Marino, our President, draws on her experience as a neuroscientist to show us the amazing complexity of the orca brain (“They’re right up there with us”) and how these highly intelligent and sensitive animals simply shut down in the confines of a concrete tank.
Public opinion in North America and Europe is increasingly calling for an end to keeping these animals at entertainment parks and aquariums. And since whales who were born in captivity don’t have the skills to live successfully in the open ocean, the solution is to create seaside sanctuaries for them.
The film concludes by giving us a real sense of what life will be like for them when they are retired to sanctuaries.
Many thanks to Matt Stamm of Oceanic Preservation Society (producers of The Cove) for his work in directing and editing the film. And to you, as always, for your support as we work together to create the first seaside sanctuary for orcas and beluga whales.
Enjoy the film and please share this post with friends, family and anyone you feel may be interested.
12 Comments
As someone who has personally seen the destruction of these animals in captivity I hope the public changes its view and we send all cetaceans to sanctuaries like this! I watched kasatka a killer whale at SeaWorld San Diego slowly die. I released disturbing photos of her and many other photos of the other orcas and dolphins there to spread awareness. Unfortunately kasatka never got the opportunity to see a sanctuary. But other orcas like Keet, ulises and many others still have an opportunity to feel the ocean on their skin again. To hear the sounds of sea and sing to the rythm of the waves!
Kudos for helping spread awareness!
Empty the tanks! Sea Circuses must end.
This is absolutely beautiful. This brings so much hope to me, thank you got everything you do. #thanksbutnotanks
This is wonderful. Thank you for all you do! I’ll continue to donate and look forward to the day when that first whale or Dolphin is put into a sanctuary!
This would be so amazing for the whales in captivity. I pray that someday humans will understand the outrage that has been done to these beautiful animals.
This is incredible! Thank you for all you do!
“He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” -Immanuel Kant
A wonderful short film that delivers a very powerful, heartfelt and balanced message. Shared with my family & friends on Facebook. Great work! Keep doing what you do x
The film is heartbreakingly beautiful. At least there is hope.
Thanks for spreading awareness of this misery. Let’s hope your seaside sanctuaries fill up soon.
Thank You, Thank you for saving these Orcas