VIFF Environmental Films ‘09: At The Edge of the World Premieres Tonight
It’s my second year volunteering with the VIFF’s Media Outreach department, and I’m glad to see that they’re being much more inclusive of social media and bloggers this year. The Vancouver Film Festival starts today and runs for three weeks until October 16. They’ll be showcasing an astonishing 377 films from all over the world – it’s definitely an event not to be missed!
My task this year is to promote The Way of Nature category: “This year’s environmental series offers both shocking news on the mess we’re making in some of the most beautiful parts of the planet and possible redemption in the rediscovery of the ways of nature in others.”
I can’t be happier giving a little love to these deserving documentaries. Most are insightful commentaries on important green issues, wonderfully researched, and bring to light some passionate individuals and organizations. Looking to learn more about a hot topic in environmentalism? Chances are, you’ll find it at the VIFF.
Tonight, for example, is the premiere of At The Edge of the World, an exciting documentary which showcases one organization’s ongoing struggle against the Japanese whaling industry.
“Tracking the whaling fleet (which slips through a loophole in the conservation laws to kill and process close to a thousand whales each season) over the glorious vastness of the Ross Sea, the crews of the two Sea Shepherd vessels face crippling seasickness and deadly ice packs. Tedium is mitigated by the frigid beauty of their surroundings (captured in breathtaking frames by no fewer than seven sure-footed cinematographers) and regular safety drills.” – full description here
What’s so special about tonight’s 8:45pm showing at Granville 7 Theatres? Some of the crew will be in attendance tonight. If you were going to go to yet another Hollywood blockbuster tonight, why not try something new and make your way down to At The Edge of the World instead?
Lets look at some of the things Japanese whaling is in breach of:
Japan’s continued and expanded program of scientific whaling is inconsistent with its obligations under the Law of the Sea Convention, the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling Convention, the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), and the
Convention on Biological Diversity to protect and preserve the marine environment, to protect rare and fragile ecosystems and endangered species, to prepare environmental impact assessments when changes to the marine environment are likely to be caused by its activities, and to refrain from claiming resources under the guise of marine scientific research.
This program is not legitimately “scientific” because it has not been peer-reviewed and does not have precise quantifiable goals. It is inconsistent with Japan’s obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity because reduces the sustainability of whale species and has “adverse impacts on biological diversity.” It is unquestionably an abuse of right because it invokes Article VIII of the Whaling Convention in a manner that certainly was unanticipated by the framers of the Convention and has been repeatedly condemned by the majority of the other contracting parties to the Convention.
Japan’s actions can be challenged by concerned states in the International Court of Justice or through the dispute resolution procedures of the Law of the Sea Convention and the conciliation procedures of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Plus a bit more.
Dave-Aotearoa-NZ