Hot Docs 2009 Festival Guide

Welcome to the Hot Docs screening schedule, where you can browse all of the films in this year’s festival.

Use the tabs below to browse films by title, program, or by date and time. And, you can use the MY HOT DOCS tab to build your own personal schedule.

You can purchase passes to the festival; and you can buy tickets to individual screenings here.

Grass

Dir(s): Ron Mann

Program: Focus On...

Run Time: 80 | Canada  | Language: English 

Seven years in the making, Grass is a rollicking analysis of marijuana as it's been loved and loathed since Cab Calloway sang "Reefer Man" in 1932. The film's opening half focuses on Harry J. Anslinger, America's first anti-drug czar. The government propaganda films produced under his watch are as humorous as they are hair-raising. In them, dope smokers are portrayed as sex-starved libertines, degenerates, criminals, and killers. President Nixon then takes up the pot-phobic mantle, at one point ignoring a report he commissioned because it recommended marijuana's decriminalization. Throughout the film, graphics compellingly illustrate just how much public money has been wasted on a futile and destructive drug war. The conspiracy against cannabis documented in Grass remains completely relevant. Anti-marijuana myths promoted by government agencies linger on. Racially motivated drug enforcement and sentencing policies endure. Satirical and sly, with stellar sound design, Grass is a startling history lesson and necessary antidote to pot prohibitionist propaganda. Astra Taylor.

Co-presented with Toronto Freedom Festival and Global Marijuana March.

Media Coverage

Read these articles and interviews:

Credits

Director(s) : Ron Mann

Producer(s) : Ron Mann

Subjects

Grass deals with the following subjects: Alternative & Underground Cultures, Popular Culture

Screenings

Grass will be presented at the following times and locations.

TimeFilmsVenueTicketsCalendar
11:59 pm Fri, May 1

Bloor Cinema

Not Available

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More from Focus On...

The following titles are in the Focus On... category along with Grass.

From My Hot Docs

People who added Grass to their My Hot Docs calendar also added the following films.

Bookmarks

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On the day of the screening, tickets are available at the venue’s box office starting one hour before the first screening of the day.

For screenings that have sold out in advance, a limited number of rush tickets may be available at the screening venue’s box office ten minutes before the screening time, subject to availability.