My Ancestors Were Rogues and Murderers (2005)

Directed by

Anne Troake

Genre

documentary film

Country

Canada

Runtime

55 min

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A Newfoundland filmmaker examines her own family's history with the seal hunt. Through interviews with relatives and a cousin who died before production began, she argues the practice is a longstanding and environmentally sound industry while challenging criticisms from animal rights groups.

personaldefensiveconversationalreflectiveearnestadvocacy-drivenfamilialunhurried

What happens

My Ancestors Were Rogues and Murderers is a 2005 National Film Board of Canada documentary film by Newfoundland filmmaker Anne Troake, which explores her own family's ties to the seal hunt and seeks to mount a defense for the now-controversial practice. Troake documents how the seal hunt began to attract international outrage in 1977 following opposition from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and a high-profile visit by French film star and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot. Through interviews with family members in Twillingate, including cousin and sealing spokesperson Garry Troake who died at sea just before the start of production, the director advances the argument that sealing is a time-honoured and environmentally responsible industry, while debunking what she sees as misconceptions about the hunt, including how seals are actually killed. Troake had planned on making the film prior to the death of her cousin Garry in 2000, and decided to continue with it as a way to honour his memory and continue his fight. My Ancestors Were Rogues and Murderers makes ample use of his commentary including accusations of hypocrisy against the IFAW. The film's title is taken from a quote by the filmmaker's grandmother, Jessie Troake Drover, who is also featured. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

More like this

• Angry Inuk (2016)
• Natsik Hunting (1975)
• The Wolves (2015)
• The Fight for True Farming (2005)
• Confessions of an Eco-Terrorist (2010)
• Sharkwater (2006)
• Earthlings (2005)
• Huntwatch (2016)