A whale of a tale

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Summary

In 2010, the sleepy fishing town of Taiji in Japan suddenly found itself in the worldwide media spotlight. The Cove, a documentary denouncing the town's longstanding whale and dolphin hunting tradi...

In 2010, the sleepy fishing town of Taiji in Japan suddenly found itself in the worldwide media spotlight. The Cove, a documentary denouncing the town's longstanding whale and dolphin hunting traditions, won an Academy Award and almost overnight, Taiji became the go-to destination and battleground for activists from around the world. What might at first seem like a black-and-white issue however has proven to be more complex. A Whale of a Tale revisits this story, but discovers a different perspective - and a different question. Can a proud 400-year-old whaling tradition survive a tsunami of modern animal-rights activism and colliding forces of globalism vs. localism? Featuring a wide range of characters including local fishermen, international activists and an American journalist (and longtime Japanese resident), this fascinating and thought-provoking documentary unearths a deep divide in eastern and western thought about nature and wildlife and cultural sensitivity in the face of global activism.

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