"Evergreen" marijuana legalization documentary set to World Premiere at SIFF

SEATTLE - May 2, 2013 - PRLog -- SEATTLE, Wash. - The feature documentary film "Evergreen: The Road to Legalization in Washington" is scheduled to make its World Premiere at the 2013 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF).  

The 86-minute documentary is scheduled for screenings on June 6 and June 8 as part of SIFF, the largest and most-highly attended festival in the United States.

World Premiere Screening
Thursday, June 6
The Egyptian Theatre (805 E. Pine St.)
9:30 P.M.

Second Screening
Saturday, June 8
SIFF Cinema Uptown Theater (511 Queen Anne Ave. N.)
12:00 P.M.

Tickets for both screenings and the full festival program become available on the SIFF website beginning May 2. http://www.siff.net/festival-2013/evergreen-the-road-to-legalization-in-washington

SIFF will screen 447 films this year including 272 features.

"Evergreen: The Road to Legalization in Washington" is an in-depth examination of Initiative 502 and the future of drug prohibition laws. The film captures a landmark period in American history, taking viewers behind the scenes during the intense I-502 campaign while examining the context and controversies surrounding this unprecedented public vote to legalize, tax and regulate the recreational use of marijuana. The documentary will serve as a case study for citizens and lawmakers across the nation in working to reform drug policy at both the state and Federal levels.

The official "Evergreen" movie trailer is viewable on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEX4dSkEVS8



PLOT SYNOPSIS

A state in the upper-left corner of America is a key battleground in the fight for cannabis prohibition reform. A booming medical cannabis industry paved the way for cultural change in Washington State, and the architects of Initiative 502 put forth a plan they feel will balance the delicate politics of the region and stand a chance to pass in November. But many in the local community are vehemently opposed to I-502, saying it imposes harsh and scientifically arbitrary DUI laws, new taxes, additional restrictions and penalties that negatively impact medical marijuana patients and youth.

Travel guru Rick Steves joins ACLU lawyer Alison Holcomb, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, former U.S. Attorney John McKay and an unlikely alliance of politicians in pushing support for I-502 forward. Medical marijuana activist Steve Sarich and local defense attorney Doug Hiatt are the leading voices of the movement opposing I-502.

An intense political campaign season is rife with conflict at I-502 rallies and events, climaxing in a heated showdown at the State Capitol in Olympia. Featuring exclusive interviews and behind the scenes footage with insight from the reporters, activists, patients, dealers, business owners, citizens and industry insiders who lived this story.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Riley Morton (Director / Producer) has produced documentaries and television for a variety of clients on five continents over the last 15 years. He directed the feature mountaineering documentary "Found on Everest" (2001), and and his camerawork been seen on PBS, NBC, Discovery, National Geographic Channel, ITN and CBS along with dozens of digital channels.

Nils Cowan (Writer / Producer) is a Seattle filmmaker with 13 years of experience producing, directing and writing story-driven content for television, theater, web and multimedia. After 10 years working as a staff producer and freelancer in Washington, D.C, Nils came back west to Seattle. He has produced award-winning documentary films for Discovery, National Geographic, PBS, Travel Channel and The National Park Service.  His most recent film, "Into Deepest Space" (2012), is currently airing on PBS.

Jason Reid (Producer / Editor) is a Webby and Emmy® Award-winning director, producer and editor of feature documentary films, narrative films, corporate videos, TV commercials, music videos, web marketing and journalism pieces in Seattle. Joining Jason to make up the "Evergreen" post-production team are Darren Lund (Editor) and Adam Brown (Co-Producer) -- the award-winning team behind feature documentaries "Sonicsgate: Requiem for a Team" (2012), "K2: Siren of the Himalayas" (2012) and "Man Zou: Beijing to Shanghai" (2010).


ABOUT SIFF

Founded in 1976, Seattle International Film Festival creates experiences that bring people together to discover extraordinary films from around the world. Recognized as one of the top film festivals in North America, the Seattle International Film Festival is the largest, most highly attended film festival in the United States reaching more than 150,000 annually. The 25-day festival is renowned for its wide-ranging and eclectic programming, presenting over 250 features and 150 short films from over 70 countries each year.