"The Cove," a film showing the yearly slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, took the Oscar for best feature documentary in the annual Academy Awards ceremony Sunday in Los Angeles.
On Monday, officials in Taiji released a statement calling for understanding of food culture and long-standing traditions.
"I just want to say that it was an honor to work on this film and to try to make an entertaining film that also tries to enlighten everybody," Fisher Stevens, producer of "The Cove," said in accepting the award, accompanied by director Louie Psihoyos and dolphin conservationist Rick O'Barry at the Kodak Theatre.