Unplugged to distrib controversial documentary
TOKYO — Controversial nature docu “The Cove” will get a Japan release, Tokyo-based distrib Unplugged announced on Wednesday.
The exact date and the number of screens have yet to be decided, but the distrib is shooting for an early summer bow. The Louie Psihoyos docu about the annual slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan was a last-minute addition to the Tokyo Film Festival, which unspooled in October. In early August, Psihoyos told Canadian critic Peter Howell that an unnamed fest “director” had nixed the pic, explaining that government pressure had caused the fest to cave. Psihoyos also accused the fest of hypocrisy given its “green” theme, which was inaugurated by chairman Tom Yoda in 2008 under the slogan “Action for Earth,” and was symbolized by the Green Carpet the event used for its opening ceremony. Yoda later denied having “that sort of conversation with anyone in the government.” At a Sept. 16 presser for the fest he did mention that fest programmers were concerned that the docu “might cause disputes.” Despite the presence of reps from Taiji in the aud, the fest screening of “The Cove” ended without major incident. Tokyo-based Medallion Media acquired the pic for Japan from The Works International. Unplugged was then commissioned to handle distribution and PR. “The Cove” has been nommed for a documentary Oscar, as well as wining 22 prizes at fests around the word. Tokyo, however, was not one of them.
