Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival

“Killers in Eden” tells the story of perhaps the most extraordinary partnership ever forged between humans and wild animals. The film is a remarkable and unique environmental story that took almost 2 years to make, including involvement from scientists, descendents of the main characters, indigenous communities, actors, underwater cameramen and special effects experts.

Locals from the small Australian coastal town of Eden claim that beginning in the mid-1800s an intimate and co-operative relationship developed between human whalers and killer whales. Eyewitnesses recount how the killer whales woke the whalers at night before leading them to the hunt. The giant prey whales were herded into Twofold Bay by the killer whales. This allowed the shore-based human whalers to close in for the kill.

Master Whaler George Davidson came to view the leader of the killer whales ‘Old Tom’, not merely as a work colleague, but a friend. When George fell in the water ‘Old Tom’ protected George from sharks. Other whalers who were drowning claimed to have been dragged back to the surface by the killer whales.

Almost every event re-enacted in the story takes place exactly where it is claimed to have occurred in Eden.

“Killers in Eden”, presented by the Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival , screens two times in May: Friday May 11th at 7PM at Jack London Village 13740 Arnold Drive in Glen Ellen and Friday May 25th at 7PM at Vintage House 264 First Street East in Sonoma. Admission is free. Beginning at 6PM, BBQ chicken, salad plates, beverages and desserts are available for purchase.

Reservations are recommended. Call 935-3456 to reserve a seat.