The Witness Is a Whale
In their film, The Witness Is a Whale, filmmakers Nick and Cheryl Dean take us on a remarkable journey to understand the private lives of whales and their societies in the sea as revealed through the behavior of these magnificent giants. This stunning wildlife documentary is also a riveting detective story revealing espionage and deception that spans over 60 years. Through meetings and connections with leading marine mammal scientists, they discovered the massive illegal and secret slaughter of over 200,000 whales by the Soviet Union and Japan during the Cold War, an act described as “one of the greatest environmental crimes of the 20th century.”
In a state archive in the Soviet Union, an undercover Soviet researcher risks all and tells the shocking truth exposing the role of the KGB, secret codes, and dishonesty at the highest levels of government to cover up the massive slaughter of whales. A poignant moment in this film highlights a change in perspective of retired whalers who now spend their time assisting conservation groups watching whales and celebrating their comeback.
This film explores the profound ecological impact of centuries of whaling on the oceans today and the necessity and urgency for protecting whale populations globally. The film is a clear and powerful call to action in the name of whales and us. The Witness Is a Whale is nominated for best long-form film in the “Science in Nature” category at the 2021 Jackson Wild film festival.
I had the opportunity to interview
