- Welcome to Independent Lens.
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut.
"You go out in the ocean and pick what food you want
but you go toward death most trips."
Those are the words of a Chris Apassinok,
a young Alaskan whale hunter.
Tonight, we'll show you exactly what Chris is referring to
with his quote in the film One With the Whale.
One with the Whale takes us to St. Lawrence, Alaska,
a tiny island in the Bering Sea
where an indigenous family works hard to find their food,
practicing the age-old custom of whale hunting.
In a very unique coming of age story,
Chris, a shy teenager, becomes
the youngest person ever in his village to harpoon a whale.
But Chris's conquest isn't a trophy.
For Chris and his family and the whole community,
the whale provides sustenance.
Hunters risk their lives in bone chilling sub-zero temperatures
and frigid dark waters for their livelihood.
The story takes a turn when Chris's mother
posts pictures of the hunt on Facebook.
Instead of thumbs up, fun emojis, or OMGs,
the family is shocked when they receive
threats and hate messages from environmental activists.
Chris looks to his family for support and soon learns
they are all dealing with issues of their own,
including his sister Nalu, who decides to move
to the more gay-friendly community of Anchorage.
A brave move for her,
but her absence leaves her troubled brother
with even less of a support system.
One with the Whale is directed by
Pete Chelkowski and Jim Wickens.
Both men are involved in environmental issues.
Chelkowski is passionate
about shooting in remote areas of the world.
He has an appreciation for nature
that is almost unparalleled.
His side hustle includes working as an environmental detective.
Wickens is award-winning in his own right,
and makes his feature film directing debut
with tonight's documentary.
Our film tonight tells the story
of the traditions and culture in a proud community.
A community dealing with climate change, racism, food security,
and social media bullying,
as they try to stay in touch with their roots
while navigating the modern world.
The film had a screening at this year's Wisconsin Film Festival,
and tonight, it screens in your living room.
One With the Whale starts now on PBS Wisconsin,
your home for independent film.