There have been moments during the production of The End of the Line when we have felt that someone up there wanted this film to be made and to be seen by as many people as possible.
It happened again as we arrived in Park City, Utah, for the Sundance Film Festival.
The End of the Line team after the world premiere
Jeff Hutchings, a professor from Dalhousie University, Canada, travelled here at his own expense just to be part of the excitement and see himself in the film.
On arrival he handed us a cutting of a story from Science: the first proof of a link between global overfishing and climate change.
Apparently, fish poo could save the planet. (See the news section on our website) What timing! That really pushes overfishing up the agenda as Obama enters the White House. Wow!
Nobody told me that film premieres are as nerve-wracking as weddings or funerals. Ours was. Rupert introduced the film brilliantly and we watched in silence, occasionally squeezing each other’s arms, for this was the final version most of us had not seen.
Then there was applause and a Q&A with Rupert and I and Jeff trying to answer a torrent of difficult and intelligent questions. Then we staggered off, exhausted, to the nearest hotel for a drink and then lunch.
Everywhere we go on the streets of Park City people talk to us because of the brilliant branding dreamed up by members of our team - black jackets with white fish skeletons down the back. Here is a picture of the team, by me, on the way back to our lodge after an exhausting premiere day.
The End of the Line team return to their lodge after the world premiere
I watched your film at Sundance last night. dutring the Q & A after the film a young woman asked why whales were not mentioned. The panel responded that whales aren’t doing that badly at the moment. it got me thinking about how “Save the Whales” T-shirts and bumper stickers were everywhere a decade or two ago and the impact all that exposure had on this woman’s generation. The Bluefin certainly seems to have iconic potential and since it is “at the front lines”, as you put it, of the battle to save wild fish, how about “Save the Bluefin” t-shirts. Sell them for $20 here and cheap to school-age kids in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Japan. Shame the bastards wiith their own kids. Regarding the film: I thought the overall quality was good. The soundtrack was not so hot–too loud, often distracting, inappropriate, and at times downright annoying. Thanks for this important film.
Ron Singleton
Hi Ron
Glad you enjoyed the movie I think your idea for T shirts is really good. In the next few weeks we are going to get the shop up and running.
I disagree with you about the sound-track I love the music .
claire Lewis
If you felt that this movie was supposed to be seen by as many people as possible why only show it in Melbourne. Australia is surrounded by more water than any other continent. We have a huge abundace of fish and an even healthier fishing industry. I would have thought you’d want us to see your movie. I live in Sydney and am part of a group trying to raise awareness for this very problem. I still cannot get an answer from any of you as to when and if you will produce a DVD. Is audience profits more important that actually getting the message accross. I’d congratulate you on a great movie but as yet i have not seen it (even though most of Europe has as has the US). I’d be happy to receive a reply.
Regards
Jean-Paul
Hi Jean-Paul,
At the moment we are finding the right distribution company to work with in Australia to bring the film to the big screen where it will be shown in lots of cinemas. You will certainly get a chance to see the film.
We cannot give you an exact date as to when the DVD will be released because it all depends on the date the film finishes screening in cinemas in Australia. You have to allow a certain amount of time between screening in cinemas and releasing a DVD. That is a requirement of the cinemas.
Best wishes,
Hannah
Jean-Paul - you say that most people in Europe and the US have had an opportunity to see the film, however, I have not been able to see it myself. The geographical coverage of the UK screenings, although better than the poultry one for the whole of Oz, was pretty poor. I remember how easy it was to get to a screening of ‘The Inconvenient Truth’!