Lolita: Slave to Entertainment

Film Anecdotes

It all started on Mother's day 2002 at a demonstration at the Seaquarium. We had no Idea what we were getting in to. The film really took a life of its own. It became much bigger than we ever imagined and never would have been finished without all the support from the concerned and talented individuals who helped us along the way, a few of whom worked day and night for months without asking for a single cent. In essence we created a feature documentary on a $10,000 budget and a whole lot of coffee. The entire project (well, except for the soundtrack) was edited on Adobe Premiere on my home PC. David did an amazing job with the musical score and audio post. He really brought it to life, giving it the levels and pacing that it needed.

One of the most memorable moments during this project was when Valerie and I visited Lolita's family in the wild. Some of the orcas I was filming were actually present during her capture in 1970, one of them probably her mom. This was who she belonged with, her mother and father, sisters and brother. I became driven by that image of unity, grace, and freedom. It resonated within me for a long time. When we returned to South Florida I had the opportunity to spend some time with her alone. That was intense for me. I talked to her and told her that I would do everything in my power to help her get back to them. I told her to have faith in me. I had no money but at that point there was no turning back. We already had a script and 5 interviews. I made a promise to Lolita. So I refinanced my house, paid off the cards, charged them right back up again and here you have it, Lolita: Slave to Entertainment. I hope it touches your heart. I hope it makes you think. I hope it makes you question.