Pubdate: Tue, 12 Jun 2012
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author: Wade Paterson

FILM ON POT DRAWS RAVES FROM MPS

When Kelowna's Adam Scorgie set out to produce and co-create The 
Union: The Business Behind Getting High, he didn't imagine that 
Canadian MPs would be inviting him to Parliament Hill for screenings 
of the film.

But five years after the documentary's release, that's exactly what 
has happened.

Last week, Scorgie and director Brett Harvey were in Ottawa after 
Vancouver Quadra MP Joyce Murray's office invited the duo for a 
screening of the film.

Four MPs-two of them from the Conservative Party-attended the 
screening along with Liberal Justice and Human Rights critic, Irwin Cotler.

"It doesn't even seem real that MPs are taking (the documentary) so 
seriously-it's weird, I don't know how else to explain it," said Scorgie

"We knew once we finished the film that it could actually change 
things and open people's minds, but we never thought we'd be invited 
to this kind of political platform.

According to Scorgie, it was Cotler's son who urged his father to 
watch the film. He added that Cotler's son used to be strongly 
against the legalization of marijuana; however, his view changed 
after watching The Union.

"The Liberal Party is looking at what they're calling the most 
sensible legalization bill to ever be passed in Canada. They want it 
to be a bipartisan issue."

Since the trip to Parliament Hill, Scorgie has received e-mails 
requesting boxes of his DVDs to be handed out to various MPs 
throughout the country.

"There is a chance that if this bill goes through next year that The 
Union will have played a part in the education process for how they 
draft the bill. It could literally affect history in some small way. 
. .we were ahead of our time."

Now Scorgie and Harvey are refocusing their efforts on The Culture 
High, a sequel to The Union.

"The Union really covered the business side and focused a lot on 
Canada and North America. The Culture High is going to look at a much 
more global perspective-how there seems to be a culture shift in the 
way people are looking at cannabis prohibition."

The crew behind The Culture High will be launching a Kickstarter 
campaign June 20 with the hope of raising $190,000 for a theatrical 
release of the new documentary.

"If 10 per cent of our Facebook followers were to pre-buy a copy of 
the film, we would get it into 50 to 100 theatres across North America.

"If we hit this goal, right off the bat we will be the largest funded 
Canadian documentary on Kickstarter in the company's history."

If all goes according to plan, Scorgie thinks a 2013 release is 
possible. He said that he's excited about the potential of the 
planned documentary.

"We're much better as film makers, we've got access to way more 
footage and bigger clientele and we have a new spin on the way we're 
going to tell this story."

Scorgie said that the recent Parliament Hill visit is going to be 
used in the Kickstarter promotional video and will likely be a part 
of The Culture High final product.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom