Entangled

This documentary chronicles the efforts to protect North Atlantic right whales from extinction, the impacts of those efforts on the lobster industry, and how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has struggled to balance the vying interests. There are now believed to be fewer than 400 right whales, making them among the planet’s most endangered species.

The narrative weaves together the stories of scientists racing to save the whales, lobstermen fighting for their livelihoods, environmental advocates seeking legal protections for the species, and regulators trying to thread the needle between commercial interests and the requirements to enforce the Endangered Species Act. The film is framed around a proposal by a NOAA panel to slash the number of lobster lines, which government officials say would reduce the risk of serious injuries or deaths to right whales by 60 percent. That proposal sparked a backlash. Protests and vitriol have drawn in the entire congressional delegation of Maine, as well as the governor.

Many of these contentious moments were filmed over the course of a year. It interviews with scientists, fishermen, regulators, and environmental advocates. It also features verité scenes that capture the deep emotions and high stakes.