August
2003
The
Struggle to Free Lolita
The Satya Interview
with Timothy Michael Gorski and Valerie Silidker
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Lolita is an orca who was captured from the wild in 1970, when she
was a youngster. She was sold to the Miami Sea Aquarium where she resides
in what is essentially a medium-size swimming pool. Every day she performs
tricks that delight her audiences. Some people say she’s happy—especially
those in the entertainment industry. She’s fed regularly, has
excellent medical care, is safe and lives in her very own tank. What’s
the problem?
Lolita: Slave to Entertainment by Timothy Michael
Gorski and Valerie Silidker tells a different
story. Orcas are family-oriented and travel long distances together.
They have a sophisticated communication system enabling them to communicate
and identify each other by their unique sounds. When Lolita was captured
in the Puget Sound, her family fought for her freedom, giving up only
when they couldn’t hear her anymore. Lawrence Carter-Long
recently spoke with the young filmmakers about their documentary and
how activists can use video to expose truth.
How did you first get involved in animal activism?
Valerie: There’s a process people go through
when they are exposed to information that goes against the status quo.
The first response is usually to get defensive (which was my initial
response); we do not want to have been wrong our entire lives about
anything, especially something as severe as respecting life. It is
so
important for activists to come from a place of compassion when speaking
to people who are not aware of the issues. We were all there at one
point.
What got you interested in Lolita’s situation?
Tim: I think it was in 2002 when we went to the Miami
Sea Aquarium with the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARF). They
were having their annual Mother’s Day protest.
Valerie: ARF had asked us to get involved by going
into this aquarium during the Lolita show and speaking up during a
quiet
moment where they say, “if everyone’s really quiet you’ll
be able to hear Lolita speak,” and they turn the loud rock-n-roll
music down and everyone’s anticipating hearing her. At that moment
we stood up and started telling people around us as much information
as we could get out: Lolita was captured from the wild in 1970, this
tank is illegal, things like that. The security guards came after us;
and when they were ‘escorting’ us out—we weren’t
fighting, we were just speaking as long as we could, trying to win friends
and paint ourselves not as fanatical but rather as compassionate—and
they threw Tim down the stairs.
Tim: That day was the reason we decided to make a
film. We had some friends in the audience filming and I decided to
film some
of the protest. Right after I got thrown down the stairs I decided
we had a movie we needed to make, that Lolita’s story really
needed to be out in the public.
What was the reaction of the people around you?
Valerie: Unfortunately, the majority of the people
were boo-ing. “You’re ruining my kids’ show”—I
specifically remember hearing that come out of one woman’s mouth.
What would people need to know if they decided this was something
they wanted to do—from your experience?
Valerie: We had a bit of an advantage—we were
able to get our hands on some equipment, a digital camera that we could
use. We had a lot of help making this video; everyone who was involved
volunteered their time—that was really great, putting together
a team of really compassionate people who believed in the project.
What is it about Lolita’s story that compelled you to
do the movie?
Valerie: When we learned about the struggle for Lolita,
we both felt very passionate about getting her story out because, since
Lolita’s the oldest captive orca, we knew that she would be in
a sense a good symbol for all animals in captivity.
In the wild, orcas usually live between 50 and 70-plus years; in captivity,
they rarely make it through their teens. So Lolita, who’s been
in captivity for 33 years and is in her late 30s, may not have much
time left, and so we knew that people needed to be aware of her plight.
With the success of Keiko’s relief and rehabilitation, we knew
that it was possible, and that’s why we felt compelled to get
her story out.
Tim: The public has heard the marine park side of
it for years and years. We wanted to show the other side, so it is
extremely
biased; but it’s extremely accurate and extremely educational.
But stations like PBS, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet want softer
things in nature, they don’t want so much controversy. So it’s
going to be very difficult for us, we’re finding out. But we
are finding that smaller film festivals are really supporting us.
With the film festivals, I would guess you’re showing
the film to a non-activist audience. What’s their reaction been?
Tim: We’ve only been to two screenings out of
the eight festivals we’ve been in so far. One was in California
and one was here in Ft. Lauderdale. The responses were amazing, they
were great. We expected hecklers to be there, saying, “Why this
one whale?” or “It’s only a whale—why don’t
you worry about human rights?”—stuff like that. But we didn’t
get any hecklers at all. They were all very supportive and very grateful
for being educated, so that was nice.
Where are you putting your energy, as far as getting Lolita
viewed?
Tim: So far it’s been on public access in Texas,
in Maui and in Tucson. We are pushing for local cable access. We just
got confirmation it’s going to be on TV in Atlanta, and we’re
focusing on film festivals right now. We also have a contract with
Free
Speech TV (on the Dish Network) with an air date for sometime in the
fall.
Valerie: We’re [encouraging] people to get a
copy and get a screening in their area.
What has been the most surprising thing that you’ve
found since finishing the film thus far?
Valerie: I knew that activists would accept this film
because we’re already of like mind. But to have people who never
would’ve considered the other side wanting to get involved and
being really passionate about it because they were so moved by this
story, that has been beautiful. Awesome.
Tim: I think a bigger surprise for me was that there
haven’t been any repercussions from the marine park industry.
It seems like the parks, Miami Sea Aquarium especially—we know
they have a copy—are just ignoring it and hoping it’ll
go away.
Valerie: They’ve been reluctant to make any comment
at all, even when we’ve had press, and we’ve had quite
a bit.
When confronted, what kinds of things do the parks say in
their defense? “We love our animals, we have a big enough tank, we follow
the requirements of the USDA…”?
Valerie: “We have no scientific proof that Lolita
could be released to the wild,” which is bunk. Keiko has been
successfully released. We have a team of biologists, former trainers,
who know, who are positive that she could at least be rehabilitated
to a natural sea pen.
That’s the important thing for people to understand, we’re
not talking about just dumping Lolita in the ocean and saying goodbye.
This is a process of rehabilitating her in a natural sea pen where
she
can experience the rhythms of the sea, and learn to catch fish again.
If she can be taught to do stupid tricks, she can certainly be taught
to catch fish.
Tim: And it’s done all the time. I have documents
of all the dolphin rehabs and releases and there’s been hundreds
of them over the years; only one orca so far [Keiko], but hopefully
that will change.
If there was one thing people could do, what would it be?
Valerie: It’s important to remember that this
isn’t just an issue about animal welfare, it’s also about
education. When children go in busloads to marine parks like this aquarium,
and watch shows of exploitation and domination, they’re learning
that it’s okay to steal animals out of the wild and abuse them
and use them for profit. It really poisons their mind, it destroys their
relationship with nature, and it’s a vicious cycle.
Is there anything else you want people to know?
Tim: The first thing I say to people that want to
make films is, just do it. For the longest time I wanted to work for
National
Geographic or Discovery Channel making documentaries, and then I realized—you
have to make one first and become recognized. You’ve got to go
out with your heart and your mind. You’re going to get frustrated
and deal with incredible egos, but you just have to get in there, be
tenacious, and not give up.
Valerie: I think it’s important to go out and
videotape what’s going on. Whether it’s rodeos or the marine
park captivity industry—whatever it is people feel passionate
about—get it on film. We can’t stress that enough, because
even if they’re not the ones making the documentary they can
pass it on to people who are. The truth is in the evidence and video
is the
best way to catch anything.
Tim: And anybody can do it—if we can do it,
anybody can do it [both laugh].
What gives you hope?
Tim: The letters—the hundreds of letters—we’ve
been getting from schoolkids supporting us and supporting Lolita, vowing
not to support the Miami Sea Aquarium.
Valerie: I think the belief in human beings, the belief
that they are innately good and if they have all the facts they will
make the most ethical decision, which is not to exploit animals for
entertainment, and not to use them as resources.
To order the video ($20), visit www.slavetoentertainment.com or
call (954) 463-8892. To learn about the campaign for Lolita’s
release or get involved, see www.miamiseaprison.com.
