For Cod’s Sake
Everyone loves the cod. So why is thousands of tonnes discarded every day?
This film depicts a young researcher trying to find the truth about the most important and debated resource of the Baltic Sea – the cod. The documentary gives shocking proof. Thousands of tonnes of cod are discarded by trawlers every day. The films upsetting images led to a subsequent ban on the discarding of cod in the Baltic Sea.
Fishermen, scientists and politicians have – all in good faith – done their best to wipe out the Baltic Sea cod.
Fortunately, recent environmental conditions have – by chance – led to more cod in the Baltic. And the European Union proclaims it wants to save the species. But ironically, EU regulations force fishermen to discard thousands of dead cod – every day. And scientists advising the EU disagree heavily on the extent of the recovery.
So is the cod really back – or is a wipe-out still imminent?
Over two dramatic and decisive years we get up and close with fishermen, scientists, politicians and the cod itself. Without the cod, the sea will be out of balance, the water filthy and fishermen will survive only as tourist attractions.
Producer/Director Folke Rydén
Co-director Ryszard Solarz
Title For Cod's Sake / Alla torskar
Length 1 x 28/52/58 minutes
Release 2009
2011 Awarded Best Foreign Film. On October 28, in Kiev Ukraine, at the 3rd International Film Festival of marine documentaries, historical, adventure and television programs.
2011 Official Selection: For Cod's Sake is selected for competition at Dunkirk first World Sea Film Festival in July 2011
2011 Award: For Cod’s Sake was marked as the Best Foreign Film in St Petersburg, at the www.seafest.spb.ru
2011 Award: The Holmar-von-Ditfurth-Preis for best journalistic performance at the Ökofilmtour environment and nature film festival 2011, in Potsdam, Germany
2011 Official Selection: The 8th San Francisco Ocean Film Festival
2010 Award: The Anemoon Foundation Environmental Impact Award at the 4th North Sea Film Festival in Amsterdam
2010 Award: Envirofilm Festival Slovakia
2010 Official Selection: Green Screen International Wildlife Film Festival, Eckernförde, Germany
2010 Official Selection: Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries, Riga, Lettland
2010 Official Selection: The nature and conservation competition at the German film festival NaturVision in Neuschönau.
Educational material
Lessons to learn about fishery
For Cod's Sake – Swedish version (58 minutes)
For Cod's Sake – Swedish short version (28 minutes)
Spin-off. The Cod Game (77 minutes)
Watch the five episode long animated series about life according to the cod