Center for Biological Diversity

Media Advisory, March 29, 2018

Contact: Patrick Sullivan, (415) 517-9364, psullivan@biologicaldiversity.org

Bay Area Film Screening to Explore U.S. Military's Threat to Endangered Marine Mammal

BERKELEY, Calif.— The Center for Biological Diversity will hold a special screening on May 3 of Zan, an award-winning documentary about one of Earth’s most endangered marine mammals — the Okinawa dugong. The event is cosponsored by Turtle Island Restoration Network.

Using breathtaking underwater footage, the film explores the dugong’s plight and the struggle of people in Okinawa, Japan, to protect these gentle manatee relatives. 

Zan: In Search of the Last of the Okinawan Dugong examines a planned U.S. military airbase that would destroy crucial dugong habitat and wipe out the last members of this imperiled species.  

Center attorney and activist Miyoko Sakashita will introduce the film. She’ll discuss the dugong’s role in Okinawa’s indigenous culture and how Bay Area residents can defend these animals.

The Center and other American and Japanese conservation groups and Okinawan citizens have sued to compel the U.S. military to fully consider the impacts of the airbase. The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals last year affirmed that the lawsuit could proceed.

What: Screening of Zan, an award-winning documentary about how a U.S. military base threatens one of the Earth’s most endangered marine mammals: the Okinawa dugong.

When: Thursday, May 3, at 7 p.m.

Where: Rialto Elmwood Theater, 2966 College Ave, Berkeley, California.

Who: Attorney and activist Miyoko Sakashita will introduce the film and talk about the threat a planned U.S. military base expansion in Japan poses to the survival of these manatee relatives.

Register: Admission is free but please register in advance at https://ZantheFilm.brownpapertickets.com.

More info: Andrea Weber, (510) 844-7100, aweber@biologicaldiversity.org.

The Center and other American and Japanese conservation groups and Okinawan citizens have sued to compel the U.S. military to fully consider the impacts of the airbase. The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals last year affirmed that the lawsuit could proceed.

Directed by Richard Grehan, Zan has been honored at the Global Film Festival Awards in Los Angeles and other film festivals around the world. More information at www.zanthemovie.com.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.6 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

www.biologicaldiversity.org

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