KENSINGTON & HELLO COOL WORLD - STRATEGIC PARTNERS IN HYBRID DISTRIBUTION
I recently had the privilege of meeting with the talented folks over at Kensington Communications that created RAW OPIUM: PAIN PLEASURE PROFITS, one of the documentary projects Hello Cool World has been involved with over the past year.
I was eager to sit down with producer Robert Lang and Kensington’s social media lead Amanda Connon-Unda to get a full update.
Kensington first approached Hello Cool World (HCW) last fall looking for strategy advice on self-distributing their film. In May, we worked with Kensington to host the world premiere of RAW OPIUM at DOXA and to strategize grassroots outreach across North America.
Colette joined Hello Cool World team back in 2003 and was a key organizer for The Corporation and The Take's grassroots outreach efforts across North America.
After being inspired by the organizing and awareness building potential of the internet and social issue films, she returned to school to study Communications and sharpen her skills.
Once graduating, Colette returned to Hello Cool World once again as a grassroots campaign consultant. She is now the Director of Distribution for Hello Cool World's new fair trade distribution arm.
Last week, the Supreme Court of Canada heard the Federal Government's Appeal of the decision to allow the Insite supervised injection facility to continue to operate. Tomorrow, May 17th, join Pivot Legal Society, the SFU Woodwards Community Engagement Office and moderator Donald MacPherson for a forum exploring what this case is all about and what the Supreme Court's decision will mean for people living with addictions and for the future of Canadian drug policy.
We will see footage straight from the courtroom in Ottawa. We will hear from Monique Pongracic-Speier, lawyer on the case and a representative from Insite. Dr. Thomas Kerr of the Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and Maxine Davis, Executive Director of the Dr. Peters Aids Foundation with offer an assessment of the health impacts of this decision. Plaintiff Dean Wilson will reflect on his journey through the court process and Downtown Eastside activists Bud Osborn and Dave Murray will talk about what the fight for a legal supervised injection facility has meant to them and their community.
Doors open at 6pm. Suggested Donation $10. No one turned away.
Bella is the newest addition to Hello Cool World, enlisting for the cause at the end of 2010. A graduate of BCIT's Broadcast Communications for TV program, she's worked in all aspects of production and has a knack for new media & technology.
Hello Cool World is thrilled to be a communty partner for the upcoming DOXA screening of Raw Opium on May 7. We think this film is a timely and much-needed look at the impacts of the war on drugs, from our own DTES 'hood to the case study of Portugal as a decriminalization success story.
And of course we also are big supporters of InSite Safe Injection Site. Now that Harper's conservatives are in again, we really need to go to battle keep InSite open. the story of insite is woven through the film Raw Opium, and we hope the film will spark debate over this issue. And of course we hope people will want to take action!
To this end we are working with the filmmakers to engage audiences as the film launches. Please JOIN US and help us in getting the word on the street by printing and distributing some flyers:
DOXA is presented by the Documentary Media Society, a Vancouver based non-profit, charitable society devoted to presenting independent and innovative documentaries to Vancouver audiences. The society exists to educate the public about documentary film as an art form through DOXA Documentary Film Festival, a curated and juried festival comprised of public screenings, panel discussions, public forums and educational programs. The 2011 DOXA Documentary Film Festival runs from May 6 to May 15, so consider DOXA for your next film. Might I suggest Raw Opium?
If human rights, drug policy, harm reduction, and the war on drugs are topics that interest you, don't miss out on the world premiere of Raw Opium. The screening takes place this Saturday May 7, 12:00pm at Pacific Cinematheque (1131 Howe St) followed by a post-screening discussion with Rebecca Ambrose, owner of the Vancouver Seed Bank; Dr. Ronald Joe, Medical Manager for Inner City Addiction with Vancouver Coastal Health; and Peter Findlay, filmmaker.
Please show your support for this film and tell us you'll be attending on Facebook.
Director, Peter Findlay will be in attendance, and following the screening a discussion will take place with Rebecca Ambrose, the owner of a medicinal cannabis seed store, and Dr. Ronald Joe, the Medical Manager for Inner City Addiction, Vancouver Coastal Health, which is administering InSite (the safe injection site, featured in Raw Opium) and other facilities.
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