Sarasota Film Festival opens Friday with "Blackfish"

  A new documentary by a little-known director has landed the prestigious opening-night slot for this year's Sarasota Film Festival.

Tilikum at SeaWorld

  Gabriela Cowperthwaite's "Blackfish," which premiered at Sundance in January, explores the life of Tilikum, a captive orca who has been involved with the deaths of three people, including one of his trainers at SeaWorld in Orlando. The film traces Tilikum's treatment from the time he was captured near Iceland and explores the question of whether intelligent creatures ought to be be held captive for people's amusement.
  Critics have called it powerful and persuasive; SeaWorld officials have called it misleading.
   It's set to be screened at 7 p.m. Friday, April 5 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Cowperthwaite will be there.
Call (941) 364-9514 or go to www.sarasotafilmfestival.com for information on this film or any other films or events in the festival.