The Cove Director Gives Free DVDs to Taji Residents

From our friends behind The Cove:

This weekend, every Taiji household found a copy ofThe Cove in their mailbox. In a surprise move shrouded in secrecy, film director Louie Psihoyos, in conjunction with several anonymous Japanese groups, arranged for 2000 copies of a Japanese-dubbed version of The Cove to be mailed to all residents of the coastal town. Most are aware of the controversy surrounding their town yet few have been able to view the film.

"The people of Taiji deserve to know what millions of others around the world have learned about their town," said Director Louie Psihoyos. "We here at OPS hope that when the Japanese people watch this film in the safety of their own homes, they may see that a few fishermen’s profits are giving a whole nation a black eye, not them."

The arrival of The Cove in Taiji coincides with reports that fishermen have ended the annual dolphin hunt one month early. Tarps used to shield their work and other equipment has been washed and put away. Some speculate that the fishermen have hidden evidence of the slaughter in anticipation of increased interest in the town.

There is also a free Japanese version of the film for download.