Iceland has a long-standing whale-hunting industry, and a burgeoning whale-watching industry, which operate in the same waters. This bizarre juxtaposition is discussed in a documentary to be shown on Monday, Aug. 24, at the Children’s Museum in West Hartford.
“Breach” tells the story of hunters and protesters on the small North Atlantic island nation, how politicians and activists in other countries are pressuring Icelanders to stop the whale hunt, and movements in Iceland to promote whale-watching rather than whale-hunting.
David Kaplan, a West Hartford attorney, arranged the screening of the documentary directed by Jonny Zwick. Kaplan is on the board of directors of Cetacean Society International, which was founded in 1974 as the Connecticut Cetacean Society. That organization installed the life-size cement whale statue, Conny, outside the Children’s Museum and was active in the naming of whales as Connecticut’s state animal. Cetacean Society International holds its regular meetings at the museum.
“Forty years ago the mantra was ‘Save the Whales.’ Despite the beliefs of so many, the whales have not been saved. The issues are much the same with issues of climate now tacked on,” Kaplan said. “The Icelandic whale hunt is again in full swing. It is completely off the radar of most all of the general public. The mission is not over.”
Admission is free to the event, which begins at 6 p.m. at the museum at 950 Trout Brook Drive.
