Participant Media presents entertainment that inspires and compels social change. Behind these films and issues, there are thousands of people nationwide who work tirelessly on campaigns that use the films as inspiration to make a difference. As a member of the company’s Social Action team, which develops initiatives that are inspired by the films, I’m excited to announce the first posting of a weekly blog of Sarah’s Social Action Snapshot, which will offer the latest updates on our campaigns and offer specific actions and tools, from our campaigns, for people to get involved in issues in the news.

Food, Inc.
Do you want to know about rGBH dairy, issues facing small farmers or organic yogurt? If so, check out our recent online chats with some of the leading food advocacy organizations from our campaign and Stonyfield Yogurt.

We learned this week that obesity rates continue to climb with an expected 103 million Americans to be obese by 2018. Scary? Yes. Preventable? Yes. Take action by supporting menu labeling and check out our campaign’s 10 tips for healthy eating.

Read the rest of this entry >>

The list of films that might get nominated for Oscar’s Best Documentary prize have been announced and I have some very exciting news, both Food, Inc and The Cove are on it! The shortlist consists of 15 films and will eventually be whittled down to the five actual Oscar nominees.

I am so happy that both The Cove and Food, Inc are on the list. They are easily two of my favorite docs of the year and they have both helped to create major awareness in the arenas of food and dolphin slaughter.

Go below for the entire shortlist and my personal picks (and trailers for them) for the five nominees.

Read the rest of this entry >>

Just a reminder that tonight in New York City, DCTV and Shooting People’s awesome screening series called Sustainability Season kicks off with a screening of the important film The End of the Line. The film looks at the dangers of overfishing our oceans and the lack of responsible behavior from politicians, restaurateurs and consumers alike.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Sea to Table, an honored family fish business that partners with local fishermen from sustainable wild fisheries, finding better markets for their catch. All audience members will also receive a Sustainable Seafood Guide from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

It sounds like a great evening of sustainability and community!  You can get TICKETS HERE and for more on the film, including a trailer and thoughts from The Cove’s own Louie Psihoyos click on the TakePart coverage below.

http://www.takepart.com/blog/2009/06/10/the-end-of-the-line-upcoming-movie-trailer/

http://www.takepart.com/blog/2009/08/10/takepart-exclusive-interview-with-cove-director-louie-psihoyos/

The 2010 Cinema Eye Honors Nominees have been named and I am very very happy to report that The Cove has received a record-tying 7 nominations! It got nominations in the Production, Cinematography, Editing, Original Score, Debut Feature and the top prize, Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking categories.

Also exciting is the fact that Food, Inc joins The Cove in the Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking, Original Score and the Audience Choice categories and picked up another nomination for Graphic Design and Animation!

The entire list of nominations is below–I’m of course rooting for The Cove and Food, Inc but also for the wonderful Agnes Varda in the directing category (one of the only categories where The Cove and Food, Inc were not nominated) for her beautiful film The Beaches of Agnes.

Read the rest of this entry >>

Editor’s note: The following is a blog by Hayden Panettiere of The Whaleman Foundation/Save the Whales Again! Campaign. This was originally posted on SocialVibe.com

I’m writing this with a heavy heart. I just learned that today in Taiji, a pod of 50 pilot whales were slaughtered, exactly 2 years to the day that I personally witnessed the brutal slaughter of a pod of 50 pilot whales including mothers and their newborn babies… and the images and horrible memories of that day are now flooding back into my mind like some sadistic nightmare version of Groundhog Day.

I received the sad news from Leslie-Ann Gervais who had traveled to Taiji by herself and witnessed the carnage earlier today. I can’t tell you how dangerous it is to go to the cove when the fisherman are there and to be there alone, I can’t even fathom that. Here is what she witnessed:

Read the rest of this entry >>

usepagov's Flickr photostream/Creative Commons

Dangerously high levels of mercury have been detected in hair samples taken from residents of Taiji, Japan, and while the Japanese government claims that there is no indication of Minamata disease, which is caused by methyl mercury poisoning from seafood, reports indicate that the authorities suspiciously did not conduct fundamental tests for the disease.

It’s appalling to think that officials from Japan’s National Institute for Minamata Disease (NIMD) might be attempting to hide the severity and high frequency of mercury poisoning among the residents of whaling towns like Taiji, yet as we’ve learned from The Cove, the government has a vested interest in keeping quiet about the toxicity of dolphin meat sold to consumers.  Hiroshi Hasegawa, a journalist from Japan’s AERA magazine who has been working to investigate the bizarre cover-up, explains: Read the rest of this entry >>

Director Louie Psihoyos is in Tokyo for the premiere of The Cove at the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). I had a chance to ask him a few questions today about the first ever screening of his film in Japan.

Carolyn Sams: How did if feel going back to Japan with an arrest warrant out for you?

Louie Psihoyos: When I got off the plane in Tokyo, there were news crews waiting for me. I kept thinking, what do they know that I don’t know?? Are there police waiting to arrest me and they want to get it on tape? But that wasn’t the case and I made it to the festival. Definitely a nail biter though.

CS: How did The Cove debut at the film festival? What was everyone’s reaction?

LP: Amazing – and scary. Everyone was in the audience - the mayor of Taiji, Private Space, Komatsu (IWC delegate), along with several suits I imagine were their lawyers. It was a tough crowd to say the least – the exact opposite of preaching to the choir. I was talking to people who were in the movie and to people who had no idea this was happening. For those who had never heard about it, they asked what they could to do help. It really gave me hope that there is a possibility for change. People were really moved, and I heard a lot of clapping.

CS:Was there any negative reaction in the theater?

LP: The mayor of Taiji actually walked out. I think he was too emotional, especially because the audience was reacting favorably to us.

CS: How did it feel to screen to people that are actually in the film?

LP: It was more difficult than making the movie. You’ve made it and now you have to look into the eyes of the people who are doing something horrible. It was honestly one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. But in the end, it was good to face down the people accusing me face to face.

Read the rest of this entry >>

Director Louie Psihoyos traveled to Japan for the premiere of The Cove at the Tokyo International Film Festival. When he arrived at the Tokyo airport, he pledged to give the town of Taiji profits from any Japanese screening of the film — if the town of Taiji ends the hunt.

Psihoyos told the Associated Press: “Any of the money that is generated out of Japan, if they stop dolphin-hunting, will go to Taiji.” He continued, “Once the Japanese people see this film … I think they will shut down the cove. “This is not an animal-rights film. This is a people’s rights film for the Japanese people.” You can read more from the AP here.

Read the rest of this entry >>

The Cove will be screened in Japan for the first time as part of the Tokyo International Film Festival. The TIFF previously rejected the film but reversed its decision in September and they have included it in their lineup.

The Cove screening is set for Wednesday October 21, 10:30 am. Advanced tickets are already sold out but there will be “walk-up” tickets available on the day of the screening.

Louie Psihoyos, the director of the film, is attending the festival and will do Q&A session following the screening. According to a press release from the Oceanic Preservation Society, Psihoyos decision to attend the festival coincides with a recent letter of invitation that he has extended to Taiji’s Mayor, Town Council and local citizens for The Cove movie to be shown in Taiji. “The Japanese town of Taiji is testing its residents’ mercury levels for the first time,” said Psihoyos. “The issue of mercury-laden dolphin meat being sold in Taiji and across Japan, often as mislabeled whale meat, was exposed through the release of the film ‘The Cove’. The multi award-winning documentary reveals the connection between the capture of dolphins in Taiji and the poisoning of those that eat the toxic dolphin meat.“

Visit the TIFF website to learn more about The Cove screening.