TIFF presents Patrick and The Whale. This documentary was a joy for me to watch. My fascination with taking in the natural world through television and movies, has its roots in childhood. Our Sunday evening line-up of entertainment included Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, the Wonderful World of Disney and Bonanza. I’m aging myself mercilessly.
Patrick Dykstra’s childhood put him on a more tactile path with nature. It all started with a visit to the Museum of Natural History, where he was moved by the life-size display of a blue whale. The blue whale is the largest animal to ever inhabit the planet. The realization that this animal is not a long-extinct dinosaur, but one whose existence shares our own space and time, became the catalyst that set his life on a chosen path. A path dedicated to studying these marine giants in their natural habitat.
Patrick’s story is a compelling one that starts with his search for blue whales. During his early days of searching, he encounters humpbacks, sperm whales and orcas. He studies their social behavior and patterns of communication.
TIFF Patrick and The Whale
We get to share in Patrick’s excitement as he experiences a rare connection and playful intimacy with a young sperm whale that he affectionately names Delores. Their 45-minute encounter ended when she dove into the depths where he could not follow. Delores became the whale he looked for repeatedly on subsequent expeditions.
In the next season’s journey, Patrick witnesses a tragic event. A group of 10 juvenile male sperm whales stranded themselves on the Yorkshire coast. He had never seen a dead sperm whale before. For a species so few in number, a stranding like this was a calamity, and posed a significant hit to the sperm whale population.
Strandings are shrouded in mystery. What is known is that strandings are not caused by disease. Nor do these whales strand themselves because they lack intelligence or because they do not understand their environment. Once male sperm whales reach juvenile age, they will leave their mothers and will group together with other young males. They will remain in these groups and form a profound bond until they reach the age of 30, when they strike out on their own. Strandings are always these groups of young males. They all die within sight of each other. Why?
Patrick hypothesizes that it is the bond that ensures death by numbers. It’s almost like a “you go, we all go” bond that defies our human understanding of self-preservation. The early days of whale hunting was done with row boats and spears. There is no way it should have been successful. The bonds between these animals are so absolute that when one is attacked, the others will come to help rather than to swim away, making them the next victim. And it was these bonds that sealed their fate, as it were.
To help and protect these animals, more must be known. To know more, requires instruments of observation. But in the end a philosophical question challenges them; do we continue to honour the trust we have established with these animals, or do we forge ahead by sticking instruments on them, treating them like a science experiment?
Patrick chose the former. This movie is told through his eyes, whose admiration, devotion, respect and emotional connection with these creatures is palpable throughout the film. For those who are looking for a straight-up science show – this may not be your cup of tea. For the rest of us, Patrick and The Whale is a joyful visit to an underwater world and a front row seat to some of the most stunning cinematography ever captured.
Self: Patrick Dykstra
Director: Mark Fletcher
Producer: Walter Köhler, Wolfgang Knöpfler
Executive Producer: James Reed, Alexander Nanau, Dinah Czezik-Müller, Michael Frenschkowski
Cinematographer: Rupert Murray, Gail Jenkinson, Patrick Dykstra, Romain Barats
Film Editor: Mark Fletcher
Original Music: H. Scott Salinas, Matthew Atticus Berger
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 1 h, 12 m.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
