The director of "The Cove" said Thursday that a decision by a U.S. military base in Japan to ban the Oscar-winning film on dolphin killings and protests at the local distributor's office won't silence the film's message on saving dolphins.
"The Cove" documents the slaughter by fishermen in the western seaside town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, where some dolphins are captured and sold to aquariums while others are killed for their meat. The film has set off a flurry of debate, especially after it won the Oscar for best documentary at this year's Academy Awards.
The government is adamant that whaling and dolphin hunts must continue for research and cultural purposes. But most Japanese have never eaten either meat and are shocked by the annual slaughter.