Film Focus for World Oceans Day

Today is World Oceans Day, a day to honor the world's oceans and to increase awareness about the importance of caring for and sustaining that watery world. This year the United Nations has officially recognized June 8 as World Oceans Day, so it has even broader recognition.

In honor of World Oceans Day, we're highlighting a couple of new films you'll want to know about:

What would the world be like without fish? Will we find out before 2050? Debuting in Britain today is the new documentary, The End of the Line, based on the book by Charles Clover. The film takes an in-depth look at the consequences of overfishing the world's oceans. Clover spent two years investigating the issues behind overfishing and talking to politicians, restaurant chefs, scientists, fisherfolk and others. The result is a film that calls for immediate and significant action.

The Cove follows famous dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry and other activists, filmmakers and divers as they work to infiltrate the hidden cove in Taiji, Japan and document the yearly slaughter of more than 2,500 dolphins. The dolphins are killed to be eaten (marketed as fish or whale meat), and some are captured and sold to marine parks, "swim with the dolphin" programs and other amusements. Along the way, the crew also uncovers horrific truths about the poisoning of the seas...and the people who eat sea animals.

And don't forget Sharkwater, which came out a couple years ago. In this documentary, filmmaker Robert Stewart "debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas" and works to save sharks worldwide.

~ Marsha

Image courtesy of oktavanim.