Mann with a message

Canadian Ron Mann is a filmmaker with a cause. His documentary, which was screened in the Panorama section of Berlin 2000, is the first theatrical feature to examine the origins of the criminalisation of marijuana.

"I made the film to say that marijuana smokers should not go to jail for smoking pot. Period," he says.

He reels off some startling statistics: "There were 695,000 marijuana arrests in 1997 and 87% of those were for simple possession.

FBI statistics indicate that one smoker is arrested every 45 seconds.

"History is in the out-takes of television," he continues, quoting a favourite teacher. Mann researched numerous TV archives because he feels the anti-marijuana films created through the years needed to be exposed for what they were. "If you lie and keep lying, people will eventually believe the lie."

Mixing new footage and witty graphics, the film took over four years to complete, with financing from City TV, Lions Gate Films and his own company. He asked Woody Harrelson, whose sentiments on the subject are well known, to narrate, and the star agreed immediately.

Though Grass has only a limited US theatrical release, he is not optimistic about it eventually reaching US television. "I think that the more people know how destructive American prohibition is the more we can hope for change." He wouldn't be surprised if the US tries to ban it. As for its screening at the Berlin Festival, "Berlin is an enlightened festival," he says.

Owen Levy