YAGI Film Inc., a film production and distribution company, will screen its latest documentary, Whale Restaurant – Inconvenient Food, at the world-famous THE APOLLO in New York on Saturday, September 21. The film was first shown in Los Angeles on Friday, September 13, ahead of its New York debut.
An American audience member in Los Angeles remarked, “I want to visit the whale restaurant in the film right now,” adding, “I had assumed whales were endangered.” Director Keiko Yagi, who has previously screened the film in France (April), India (July), and Greece (August), noted that many audience members changed their views after seeing the film, with several expressing interest in trying whale cuisine. Yagi hopes the New York screening, in a city renowned for its diversity, will foster a meaningful dialogue between those who oppose whaling and those with different perspectives.
Director Yagi has faced significant challenges in securing distribution for the film outside Japan. Many film distributors and sales agents refused to even watch the film, assuming it advocated for whaling. As a result, Yagi took the unusual step of negotiating directly with theaters. Despite many rejections, she successfully secured screenings at the world-renowned THE APOLLO and the historic Village East Cinema.
Screening Details:
- THE APOLLO – September 21 (Sat) at 5:00 PM
www.apollotheater.org.event/whale-restaurant-inconvenient-food - Village East Cinema – September 27 (Fri) to October 3 (Thu)
Showtimes: 1:30 PM / 4:00 PM / 7:00 PM
angelikafilmcenter.com village east movies details/whale-restaurant
Whale Restaurant – Inconvenient Food is Yagi’s second film and explores the interaction between customers and chefs at a whale restaurant while incorporating commentary from experts at international conferences. The documentary delves into the appeal of whale cuisine and examines scientific perspectives on whales and environmental issues. The director of Shin Godzilla, a regular customer at the featured whale restaurant, also appears in the film, discussing the connection between whales and the original Godzilla.
Yagi first garnered attention in 2015 with Behind THE COVE, a film that was widely covered by the international media as Japan’s rebuttal to The Cove (2010), the Academy Award-winning documentary that criticized dolphin hunting.
Director Keiko Yagi will attend all post-screening Q&A sessions at the New York theaters, engaging directly with audiences after each screening.