Tahlequah the Whale: A Dance of Grief – Official website for the award-winning animated short film.

"How beautiful, how sad, and what a powerful message."

Dr. Jane Goodall,

Ph.D., DBE

About

“Tahlequah the Whale: A Dance of Grief” is an award-winning animated short film from Meinart Animation Studio and director & writer Daniel Kreizberg.

Logline: In the aftermath of her newborn baby’s sudden death, orca mother Tahlequah carries her daughter’s body
across the Salish Sea in the incredible true story that captivated the world.

A remote production, the film’s creation took place in New York, Los Angeles & Vilnius, Lithuania. In September 2022 the USA Tahlequah team travelled to Lithuania, meeting the animators and screening a work-in-progress cut of the film:

Upon its completion, Tahlequah had its World Premiere in May 2023 at the Oscar-qualifying Animayo International Film Festival in Gran Canaria, Spain. At Animayo, it was awarded the “Special Mention of the Festival,” and the programming committee called it “heart-wrenching,” writing:

“This deeply moving short film has managed to captivate us with its powerful and emotional narrative [and] stunning visual beauty. This masterpiece […] includes narration by Daniel Kreizberg himself, who not only directs but also lends his voice to guide the audience through this emotional journey.”

From 2023 through 2025, Tahlequah screened in 40+ festivals in 20 nations, earning numerous accolades. It is now available for educational and institutional screenings exclusively at Good Docs.

Festivals & awards

WINNER – Best Kids Film, 53º Sehsüchte International Student Film Festival – Potsdam, Germany

WINNER – 8x Telly Awards (1x GOLD, 6x SILVER & 1x BRONZE), 45º Telly Awards – USA

WINNER – Honorable Mention, 2023 Jackson Wild Media Awards – Jackson Hole, USA

WINNER – Special Mention, 24º Festival International de Cortometrajes Cine a la Calle – Barranquilla, Colombia

WINNER – Runner Up for Best Animation – 22º Wildlife Vaasa International Nature Film Festival – Vaasa, Finland

WINNER – Animation Award, 20º International Ocean Film Festival – San Francisco, USA

WINNER – Student Jury Prize, Best LFF for Future, 19º Lucca Film Festival – Lucca, Italy

**WINNER – Special Mention, 18º Animayo International Film Festival – Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain**

WINNER – Canuto Prize, Best Documentary for Children, 18º DocsMX International Documentary Festival – Mexico City, Mexico

WINNER – Grand Jury Prize, Best Animated Film, 5º Blue Water Film Festival – San Diego, USA

WINNER – Honorable Mention – 5º Santiago Wild Film Festival – Santiago, Chile

WINNER – Best Short by a First-Time Filmmaker, 3º Next Generation Indie Film Awards – Los Angeles, USA

WINNER – Best Short Film Award – 2º Animal Nature Future Film Festival – London, UK

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 43º Breckenridge Film Festival – Breckenridge, USA

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 42º Enkarzine Film Festival – Zalla, Spain

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 42º Wildscreen Festival – Bristol, UK

**OFFICIAL SELECTION – 32º St. Louis International Film Festival – St. Louis, USA**

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 27º Gran Paradiso Film Festival – Cogne, Italy

**OFFICIAL SELECTION – 25º Woodstock Film Festival – Woodstock, USA**

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 25º Marseille International Music & Cinema Festival – Marseille, France

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 25º Ismailia International Film Festival – Ismailia, Egypt

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 23º NaturVision Film Festival – Ludwigsburg, Germany

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 22º Wild & Scenic Film Festival – Nevada City, USA

**OFFICIAL SELECTION – 21º Tirana International Film Festival – Tirana, Albania**

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 17º Filem’On International Film Festival For Young Audiences – Brussels, Belgium

**OFFICIAL SELECTION – 16º Santa Fe International Festival – Santa Fe, USA**

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 12º International Sound & Film Music Festival – Samobor, Croatia

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 12º Voices from the Waters International Traveling Film Festival – Bangalore, India

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 10º Korea International Ocean Film Festival – Busan, South Korea

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 8º Valencia International Human Rights Film Festival – Valencia, Spain

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 8º Blon Animation and Games Festival – Klaipėda, Lithuania

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 7º SANFICI-Santander Film Festival – Santander, Columbia

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 7º Tampa Animation Festival – Tampa, USA

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 4º Wild Oceans FilmFest – Gijón, Spain

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 2º Green Visions Potsdam – Potsdam, Germany

OFFICIAL SELECTION – 1º Earth in Focus – Singapore Eco Film Festival – Sentosa, Singapore

NOMINEE – Audience Award, 18º Green Screen International Wildlife Film Festival – Eckernförde, Germany

NOMINEE – Best Original Score for an Animated Film, 2023 Movie Music UK Awards

NOMINEE – Best Original Score for a Short Film, 11º Reel Music Awards

SHORTLIST – 2023 Young Director Awards – Cannes, France

SHORTLIST – 2024 1.4 Awards – London, UK

**denotes an Oscar-qualifying film festival**

As one of the award-winning films at Animayo, “Tahlequah” was featured in the “Best of Animayo” tour, with screenings at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Sony Pictures Animation, the LightBox Expo at the Pasadena Civic, and in 15+ cities in India.

As a winner at the Blue Water Film Festival, a special DCI HDR remaster by Barco was screened at Cineum Cannes during the dates of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival; the film also screened with other festival winners at the Catalina Casino.

As a winner at the International Ocean Film Festival, “Tahlequah” took part in the 2024 IOFF Traveling Program, which included a screening with the Blue Scholars Initiative in Miami, Florida.

“Tahlequah” was also featured in a special “Best of NaturVision Film Festival” screening at the famous Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart. The film was similarly given a satellite screening by the Singapore Eco Film Festival at Singapore’s Central Library.

After screening in competition at the 2024 Marseille International Music & Cinema Film Festival, the film was screened again in 2025 at a special event in which the film had been re-scored by young composers, whose score was performed by musicians live-to-picture. “Tahlequah” has again been invited for a similar event in 2026, this time at La Crieé, the National Theatre of Marseille.

As part of the Santa Fe International Film Festival, “Tahlequah” was invited to additional screenings at the New Mexico Museum of Art – Vladem Contemporary.

By invitation of the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, the film screened during Monaco Ocean Week in the presence of H.R.H. The Princess of Hanover, at an event organized by The Animal Fund.

In addition, a private invitation-only screening was held at New York City’s Bryant Park Hotel, below:

Reactions & Press

“What a beautiful tribute you and your team have created, thank you for this act of beauty and kindness. Entirely accurate, deeply moving, you have made an important and lasting contribution.”

— Lynda Mapes, Environmental Reporter for The Seattle Times & Author of Orca: Shared Waters, Shared Home

“I cannot express how moving this film is. We at the Whale Sanctuary Project joined the world, and you, in watching the ‘tour of grief’ that Tahlequah displayed. We’ll never know why her daughter died, but it is clear that our species is harming that community of beings. You and your team have captured the poignancy of the southern residents and Tahlequah and I can’t thank you enough for placing all of this within human responsibility.”

— Lori Marino, Founder & President of the Whale Sanctuary Project

“Thank you, Daniel, and everyone who participated in the creation of this film. Every bit of it is stunning and powerful. You created something beautiful out of such sadness and grief. And how you brought it into the struggles of present times. Heartfelt to the core. WOW!”

— Jeanne Hyde, Orca Documentarian at The Whale Museum, Friday Harbor, WA

“Thank you for bringing Tahlequah’s story forward in this authentic portrayal. It is an emotional tribute to the culture and beauty of the Southern Residents.”

— Mary Jo Farrer, Orca Adoption Program Manager at The Whale Museum, Friday Harbor, WA

"Tahlequah the Whale: A Dance of Grief beautifully captures the story of Tahlequah, showcasing the emotional depth, motherhood, compassion, and intelligence of orcas. It seamlessly weaves in an educational narrative about the unprotected ocean and its impact on wildlife. This powerful message inspires action and reflection. The film is exceptionally well-made, with exquisite illustrations and accompanied by a magnificent orchestral score that enhances every moment. Every detail is meticulously thought out, making it a truly impressive experience. Thank you for creating such an impactful film. I hope it reaches audiences far and wide."

— Berit N. Legrand, Founder of The Animal Fund

"Daniel Kreizberg's award-winning film Tahlequah the Whale: A Dance of Grief clearly shows that orcas and other animals have rich and deep emotional lives, and that we therefore must treat them with compassion and kindness. Kreizberg's work is a game-changer that will significantly help people see orcas not as unfeeling objects or property, but as unquestionably deeply sentient individuals who care about what happens to themselves, their family, and others."

Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., author of "The Emotional Lives of Animals"

“Stunning. I cried. Thank you so much for making this film, it will open many eyes and hearts.”

— Lori Christopher, Illustrator of viral Tahlequah painting See Me, Seattle, WA

"This film is very emotional. It touched my heart and moved me.”

— Damián Perea, Founder of the Animayo International Film Festival

"This film intertwines the heart-wrenching journey of orca mother Tahlequah [...] with broader human tales of loss. [...] With stunning frame-by-frame animation, this poignant story explores grief, resilience, and our collective responsibility towards the planet's future."

— Dr. Gretchen Coffman, Ph.D., International Ocean Film Festival

"A breathtaking film enriched with stunning animation and evocative music, vividly bringing Tahlequah's story to life. The film masterfully conveys deep emotions, bringing tears to the audience's eyes and inspiring them to take action for these magnificent creatures and their habitat. Kudos to the entire team for creating such a remarkable film!"

— Earth In Focus - Singapore Eco Film Festival

"Thank you, Daniel, for making this. Whenever we speak of your film to others, it is always through tears. A stunning work of both overcoming loss and hope for the future."

Joy Buran, Animation Programmer at Woodstock Film Festival

"We just want to say how much we loved this film, truly one of our top choices in this year’s Woodstock Film Festival Animation program. It was an honor to share Tahlequah’s story and have [Daniel] there to speak with the audience."

Noelle Melody, Animation Programmer at Woodstock Film Festival

"Daniel Kreizberg's Tahlequah is emotional, insightful and impactful."

— Greg Reitman, Founder of the Blue Water Film Festival

"A visceral story about loss and love."

— Sehsüchte International Student Film Festival

"Through this artistic tribute, Tahlequah's legacy lives on, touching hearts and reminding us of the interconnectedness of all life."

— Wildlife Vaasa International Nature Film Festival

“A fabulous and moving story of pain and hope” that “imaginatively fictionalizes a tragic true story.”

–Taxidrivers Magazine, reporting from the Lucca Film Festival

“An animated short film that depicts the tragic fate of a mother orca and her calf, an ecological fable illustrating the vulnerability of a species increasingly exposed to the industrial ills of the ocean. The maternal instinct of the large marine mammal is equally honored in this short masterpiece […] of high emotional intensity.”

— Caroline Audibert, journalist for Monaco Ocean Week

“The first night all eyes were on Daniel Kreizberg and his thrilling Tahlequah The Whale: A Dance of Grief […]”

–Cinemanía Magazine, reporting from the Animayo International Film Festival

“Tahlequah the Whale: A Dance of Grief Swims with Blue Water Film Festival’s Top Animation Prize“

–Animation Magazine, reporting from the Blue Water Film Festival

Watch & Get Involved

Beginning in the summer of 2025, “Tahlequah the Whale: A Dance of Grief” is now available worldwide for educational and institutional streaming, exclusively on Good Docs! The film is accessible to universities, four-year colleges, high schools, community colleges, nonprofits and community groups, for-profits and corporations, public libraries, and other types of groups. Good Docs offers event screenings, 14-day streaming access, digital site licenses and one year and three year subscription streaming. Visit the film’s Good Docs page here and inquire about hosting a screening at outreach@gooddocs.net.

As well, Good Docs is proud to partner with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation on an impact campaign to help save the critically endangered southern resident orcas. With the Foundation’s support, the film will be made available at no cost to 100 schools and community groups, to help use the film as an instrument for positive social and environmental change. The streaming link to the film also includes a discussion guide to help teachers facilitate classroom inquiry and action.

In addition, be sure to follow the film on Instagram for the latest updates:

Director's Statement

In 2018, I was among the millions of people worldwide who were captivated by J35, the orca mother known as Tahlequah. Carrying her deceased newborn’s body across the Salish Sea, she appeared to dance with her daughter through the waves, in a grief that was visceral to witness.

In 2020, stranded indoors due to the Covid pandemic, Tahlequah entered my thoughts once more. I was sitting with the pain of the world around me, as well as with my own experiences of loss. As a teenager, I endured the deaths of my father and brother, among others. During the soul-searching of my pandemic isolation, I resolved to use those setbacks as the basis for my artistry and mission in the world.

Connecting Tahlequah’s mourning to my own, I became convinced that her struggle had not been in vain. To retell her true story through the magic of cinema, I partnered with the acclaimed Meinart Animation Studio in Vilnius, Lithuania to co-produce the film. Their frame-by-frame orca illustrations are supported by a lush orchestral soundtrack composed by Emmy and Grammy winner Lolita Ritmanis, which she and I produced along with Grammy winners Amy Andersson and Mark Mattson. Our soundtrack was recorded with the Latvia Studio Orchestra in Riga, and interwoven into the film’s aural landscape are actual archival sounds of Tahlequah as she carried her daughter’s body in 2018, captured by hydrophones at the time and provided to our production by The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, Washington.

In creating this film, our team worked to bring increased attention to the plight of these endangered marine mammals in the face of the climate crisis. Tahlequah shows the painful future that lays ahead for orca and human alike if we do not change course. From the depths of the Salish Sea, her actions seemed to echo across a world full of grief, asking us to do better. For her, for us, for our one planet. We are all Tahlequah.

– DANIEL KREIZBERG, Writer & Director

In July 2023, Daniel published an editorial in Canada’s National Observer entitled “A whale taught me how to live.” The piece discusses his personal experiences with loss, how Tahlequah inspired him to make this film, the experience of premiering the film, and the urgency of using grief to motivate positive change for orcas and humans alike. After it was published, the article was featured by Hakai Magazine in their “What We’re Reading” list.

Soundtrack

In September 2022, the Grammy-winning Tahlequah team recorded the film’s soundtrack with the Latvia Studio Orchestra in Riga. On July 24th, 2023 the album was released on Spotify and Apple Music to commemorate the five-year anniversary of Tahlequah’s journey of mourning.

Soundtrack reviews

“A beautiful symphonic creation that […] achieves great emotional expressiveness.” — Conrado Xalabarder, Mundo BSO

“[A] stunning score. The story is sad and beautiful at the same time, and the gorgeous and emotional lines Ritmanis wrote are a perfect fit, in which you can hear the grief and love from a mother to her lost child.” — Anton Smit, Soundtrack World

“[An] astonishingly beautiful score […] lush, lyrical, emotional, passionate […] painting a lovely portrait of love and loss in the animal kingdom. The cello writing in “A Mother Mourns” is especially striking for its emotional resonance. The violin performance of the main theme in “A Phoenix Rises” is staggeringly beautiful, a hauntingly appropriate tribute to the depth of feeling between a mother and her child.” — Jonathan Broxton, Movie Music UK

Production Stills

Crew

Daniel Kreizberg

director, screenwriter, NARRATOR

Daniel Kreizberg is an award-winning filmmaker and actor who graduated from NYU Tisch. His debut short film, “Tahlequah the Whale: A Dance of Grief,” which he wrote, directed, and narrated in 2023, was awarded the “Special Mention of the Festival” at the Oscar-qualifying Animayo International Film Festival. It also received an Honorable Mention at the Jackson Wild Media Awards (“the nature equivalent to the Oscars”), the Canuto Prize at DocsMX, a Grand Jury Prize at the Blue Water Film Festival, the Animation Award at the International Ocean Film Festival, the Best Kids Film Award at the Sehsüchte Int’l Student Film Festival, a Student Jury Prize at the Lucca Film Festival, a Telly Gold Award, and other honors. As an actor, Daniel made his New York stage debut at Carnegie Hall, performing the role of Lazarus Solomon in “Ellis Island: The Dream of America.” Daniel tells stories that focus on uncovering the truth of what it means to be alive, to help make a more compassionate world.

Akvilė Bliujūtė-Janušė

producer

Akvilė Bliujūtė-Janušė is a Producer in the animation industry orientated around children’s short films. She graduated from Middlesex University and gained her first professional experience in Lithuania within the film industry. In 2017, Akvilė joined Meinart animation studio. During these years she has produced various projects ranging from commercials to music videos and short films.

meinardas valkevičius

Executive producer

Meinardas has been interested in and creating animation since childhood. In 2010, he graduated from the Vilnius Academy of Arts with a BA in animation. The final Academy work “The Impossible Moon” has travelled to a number of global film festivals and attracted lots of attention. In 2012 Meinardas founded the animation studio “Meinart,” whose main vision is to create bright and creative animation in search of new narrative forms. Meinardas’s goal is to invest part of his company’s profits in the creation of short and feature animations that will make people stop and think. As a director, he created a series of short animated films including RGB, The Case, Hunt, and LOOK. His newest film The Perfect Fit was released in 2022. Meinardas continues to develop new ideas and prepares to introduce new films.

Gabija Visockaitė

Art Director

Gabija Visockaite is a talented illustrator / graphic designer from Vilnius. In 2021 she graduated from the Vilnius Academy of Arts, with a BA in graphic design. She has experience illustrating in the field of animation, and in the design of comics and books. Her illustrations are dynamic and positive, with a focus on extracting the ambient atmosphere and characterization of characters.

Martyna Striukaitė

Art Director

During her five years working in advertising, Martyna has tried a variety of storytelling techniques, while at the same time trying to meet the expectations of both clients and audiences. In recent years, she has had an opportunity to express herself by writing scripts for animated commercials, and at the same time, her love for animation and interesting stories has grown even stronger. Since she’s admired these two things since her parents introduced cable to Cartoon Network at home, she looks forward to combining her hobbies and experiences into one engaging animation.

Amy Andersson

Executive producer / Conductor

Grammy Award-winning conductor and producer Amy Andersson has toured to over twenty-two countries conducting operatic, symphonic, contemporary, film score and video game repertoire. Appearances on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBS Morning News, CBS Evening News and press coverage in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Variety led music critic Norman Lebrecht to call her “America”s most watched Symphony Orchestra Conductor.”

Ms. Andersson is creator and director of Women Warriors: The Voices of Change, a documentary honoring the strength and heroism of global activists fighting for civil and human rights, environmental rights and the right of every girl to an education. Andersson is winner of a 2022 Grammy in “Best Classical Compendium” for the soundtrack which features the music by award-winning composers Anne-Kathrin Dern, Nathalie Bonin, Miriam Cutler, Isolde Fair, Sharon Farber, Starr Parodi, Penka Kouneva and Lolita Ritmanis. Andersson was awarded a BMI “Impact Award” and Society of Composers and Lyricists “Jury Award” for Women Warriors.

Ms. Andersson is a member of the Recording Academy, advisory board member of the Alliance for Women Film Composers, faculty at the Hollywood Music Workshop in Baden, Austria and adjunct professor at the USC Thornton School of Music, Screen Scoring.

Lolita Ritmanis

Composer

A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Class of 2021, Lolita Ritmanis is an Emmy Award-winning and 10-time Emmy Award-nominated composer, as well as a Grammy Award-winning music producer, earning the coveted statue in 2022 for her work on “Women Warriors: The Voices of Change.” Lolita was Oscar shortlisted for her 70 minute symphonic and choral score for the feature film Blizzard of Souls, which in 2021 had already earned her numerous awards. Lolita is one of the founders of the Alliance for Women Film Composers.

Her symphonic work Overture to Light received its 2018 U.S. premiere at Carnegie Hall. In addition to Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, her music has been performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Koerner Hall in Toronto, Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, The Krakow International Film Music Festival, Fimucité International Film Music Festival in Tenerife, Canary Islands, and Playfest in Ubeda, Spain.

Other career highlights include her original score for Christmas in Rome for Hallmark, the documentary Wild Daze (featuring Jane Goodall), music for the gender parity series Flip the Script (starring Lake Bell), Young Justice, Batman: The Killing Joke (starring Mark Hamill), Justice League (the theme, composed by Lolita, received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination), Batman Beyond (Emmy Award Win), Teen Titans, Ben 10, Batman: The Animated Series, as well as composing score and songs for the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated musical Batman: The Brave and the Bold: Mayhem of the Music Meister (starring Neil Patrick Harris).

On May 9th, 2018 Lolita was honored with the BMI Champion Award. A dedicated mentor, Ritmanis is on the faculty of the USC Film Scoring Program, has been a guest instructor at Columbia College Chicago’s MFA program in Music Composition for the Screen, as well as presented seminars at Berklee College of Music, NYU, UCLA, CalArts, and Hong Kong Baptist University.