Druglawed

Druglawed
Directed by Arik Reiss
Produced by Arik Reiss
Written by Yuki Sato
Starring Ethan Nadelmann
David Nutt
Nándor Tánczos
Metiria Turei
Abe Gray
Narrated by Estevez Gillespie
Music by Radiate Sound
Cinematography Arik Reiss
Edited by Arik Reiss
Production
company
Section 18 Media
Release date
  • 24 January 2015 (2015-01-24) (Auckland)
  • 20 April 2015 (2015-04-20) (Dunedin)
Running time
 100 minutes
Country New Zealand
United States
Language English

Druglawed is a 2015 documentary film directed by Arik Reiss concerning cannabis in New Zealand, the ongoing struggle for cannabis law reform in that country and how the United States led War on Drugs has impacted small nations like New Zealand. The film had its 'underworld' premiere on 24 January 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand and its 'grand world premiere' was on 20 April 2015 in Dunedin.[1] The film features drug policy experts including Professor David Nutt and Ethan Nadelmann as well as New Zealand politicians John Key, Nándor Tánczos and Metiria Turei.

Film content

The film looks at the history of how 184 countries signed up to fight Richard Nixon's War On Drugs. It shows how New Zealand adopted these drug policies and for decades has maintained some of the highest arrest rates for cannabis in the world. It examines how currently some US states have decided to abandon prohibition of marijuana, but New Zealand continues to enforce it. It relays the statistic that someone is arrested in New Zealand for cannabis every thirty minutes and the fact that no one has ever died from using it. Through interviews with cannabis users and growers, police officers, economists, doctors, politicians and scientists, it examines the cause and effect nature of the underground cannabis business. It also looks at how other jurisdictions have solved the problems created by the black market through legalisation.

Premieres and release

The DVD of Druglawed was sold in limited release from February 2015. It was sold for the first time at the 'underworld premiere' in Auckland. It was released world wide on VHX in April 2015 in conjunction with its first screening in Dunedin on 20 April 2015. The official New Zealand premiere took place on 24 May 2015 at Q Theatre in Auckland under the auspices of the Documentary Edge Festival, where the film received a nomination for Best New Zealand Feature Documentary.

Film festival selection

Druglawed won the award for Best Feature at the 2016 CannaBus Culture Film Festival (New York City), and was officially selected for the Documentary Edge Festival 2015 (New Zealand), the ReFrame Film Festival 2016 (Canada), the Maine Cannabis Film Festival 2016 and the Cannabis Film Festival 2016 (California). Druglawed was selected for a special screening at MardiGrass 2016, Australia's largest cannabis law reform rally which takes place annually in Nimbin, New South Wales.

Sequel in production

Production of Druglawed 2 began in March 2015 in New Zealand, after which filming continued in Israel, Australia, Argentina and Uruguay. Druglawed 2 stars Israeli chemist Professor Raphael Mechoulam and former President of Uruguay José Mujica. Also featured are South American historian and anthropologist Daniel Vidart and Australian Member of Parliament Fiona Patten. Druglawed 2 is a 5-part film being released episodically, Episode 1: Scientist and Episode 2: Specialist were released in the first half of 2017. Scientist premiered at MardiGrass 2017.

Crowdfunding

A small portion of the budget for Druglawed and Druglawed 2 was raised using the Patreon, PledgeMe and Kickstarter crowdfunding platforms.

References

  1. ↑ The Cannabis Party (25 February 2015), "Druglawed documentary accepted into festival circuit", Scoop.co.nz
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