Watch this short doc on the benefits of medical marijuana

“Weed is way more than just weed,” says Tristan Williams, the subject of a new short doc on the ‘undeniable benefits’ of medicinal marijuana by Abandoned Spirt House Films, founded in Halifax a few years ago by King’s College grads Roland Eksteins and Nicolas Bergeron. 

Both Eksteins and Bergeron are currently videographers in residence at The Banff Centre in Alberta, but often collaborate on independent work, including A Different Light. 

“The concept came together in the summer of 2014, in a park in Montreal,” says Eksteins. “And the subject of medical marijuana came up almost immediately. I started meeting people who’d benefitted from pot medicinally, which really opened my eyes. An earlier interview subject eventually led us to Tristan, and we started putting the pieces together, slowly but surely.” 

Bergeron adds, “I grew up haunted by the stigma and misinformation that surrounded marijuana in the past. To finally learn the truth and have the opportunity to share the facts, especially through a story as inspiring as Tristan’s, has been a great relief. The curtain’s been lifted.”

With an original score by Halifax’s Year of Glad, the film is an exceptionally well-conceived contribution to the growing urgency and relevancy of legalization in Canada. Watch below. 

Directed by Roland Eksteins
Edited by Nicolas Bergeron
Shot by Roland Eksteins & David Dworkind
Written by Roland Eksteins & Nicolas Bergeron
Colouring by Toomas Meema
Audio Post Production by Philip Gosselin
Animation by Devan Burton & Jessie Altura
Original Score by Year of Glad
Additional Music Courtesy of Choongum & MANN 

This article appears in Nov 19-25, 2015.