Bowing to international pressure, the Tokyo International Film Festival announced it will screen The Cove, a documentary about the annual dolphin hunt in Taij, at the nine-day event in October The Japan Times reported.
The film was initially rejected by TIFF and had inspired Taij's sister city of Broome in Australia to severe its relationship with the Japanese town. The controversy led to festival organizers to take special consideration when adding the film.
From The Japan Times:
When organizers on Wednesday announced the lineup for the 22nd annual film festival, TIFF Chairman Tom Yoda singled out The Cove, explaining the decision to include the documentary was made after the festival had reached an agreement with the movie's producers to take full responsibility should any problems arise from the screening.
"We had initially decided not to include this movie out of concern that it may bring controversy, but we have received a lot of international criticism," Yoda said.
"It's a really good day for dolphins and Japanese people," [The Cove] director Louie Psihoyos told The Japan Times by phone from Sweden. "Japanese people for the most part do not know about the high levels of mercury in dolphin meat. This film will hopefully once and for all settle the argument these animals shouldn't be eaten for food because of extremely high levels of mercury."
Get more information about TIFF here and The Cove here.