Exciting news to share... my first feature-length documentary, Grass Fed, premiered on 11/24/15 on Canadian TV on CBC's Documentary Channel.
Update: If you missed the TV broadcasts and live in Canada or the USA, you can now watch Grass Fed on iTunes! Here is the iTunes USA link. And here is the iTunes Canada link. (In Canada, the film can also be streamed or rented on Google Play here.)
Mike Paterson in Venice Beach, CA
Grass Fed stars normally high-energy Montreal actor/comedian Mike Paterson as he desperately tries to overcome his debilitating sciatica back pain by securing a medical marijuana prescription and embarking on a marijuana and hemp-infused diet.
Mike and me in Cancun
Mike supplements this regime with exercise, vegetarian eating, no booze and sheer determination - all in an attempt to turn his health around and lose 50 lbs in the four months before his destination wedding in Mexico.
Mike also hits the road to California and Colorado to immerse himself in their blossoming 'edibles' scenes to learn how cannabis edibles work and why they’ve suddenly become all the rage.
Mike and "Dr. Dina", cannabis provider to the stars, in Hollywood. Watch a clip with Dr. Dina in Grass Fed here.
As Mike exclaims in the film: "Medicine never tasted so good."
Mike with Bob Eschino and Joshua Fink at the Incredibles medicated chocolate bar factory in Denver
Grass Fed contains highlights of Mike Paterson’s live standup act taped at Montreal’s famed Comedy Nest. Grass Fed was filmed in Montreal, Smiths Falls (Ontario), Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, Denver and Cancun. I worked on this doc for over a year with the amazing team at Muse Entertainment and super-editor Rosella Tursi.
Mike with company president Mark Zekulin and cannabis grower Corey Evans at Canada's largest licensed producer of medical marijuana, Tweed, in Smiths Falls, Ontario.
Grass Fed had its first showing for a crowd at a private screening on December 16th, 2015, at Santé Cannabis in Montreal. Here are a couple of photos from the event which was sponsored by Tweed...
A full house at Santé Cannabis
From LT: Ezra Soiferman (director/camera), Monika Schmidt & Mike Paterson (Grass Fed stars),
Adam Greenblatt & Erin Prosk (Co-Founders of Santé Cannabis)
Here is some press coverage of the film for which I'm very grateful...
Read an interview with Ezra at Snoop Dogg's new Merry Jane site here.
“What begins as a self-deprecating sob story by a beer-drinking night owl, soon turns into a quirky adventure with an unconventional hero on a quest to improve his health through good medicine… This mellow and lite documentary may be just the right prescription needed." - K. Astre, CannabisNow.com
"Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is somewhat busy these days, but it would be interesting to get his take on Muse Entertainment’s excellent new feature-length documentary called Grass Fed about marijuana edibles... Find a way to see it. You won't be sorry!” Article by Mike Cohen in The Suburban
Lift Cannabis - Review of Grass Fed by Owen Smith. "Grass Fed is funny, informative and inspirational all at once….Mike’s life-altering journey offers something for everyone. With very little experience but a lot of determination, Mike shows what’s possible with a combination of exercise, support, courage and cannabis… Grass Fed’s high quality production and enjoyable soundtrack make it a highly recommended movie for Canadians interested in cannabis.” - Owen Smith, LiftCannabis.ca
Civilized - Podcast interview with Mike Paterson by James Mullinger. "I'm a massive, massive fan of Grass Fed…I absolutely loved the documentary. It’s a beautiful film. What’s amazing about it, as well as being hilarious, it’s truly heartwarming." -James Mullinger, Civilized
Green Rush Daily - Blog post by Chuck Ludley. “…stories like this could go a long way in helping to change cultural attitudes.” Chuck Ludley, GreenRushDaily.com
Interview with Mike Paterson and Ezra Soiferman on the Tweed Vault blog.
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This is a really fun one, guys. Hope you're able to see it and spread the word to those friends and family member you think would want to see Grass Fed.
Enjoy the Grass Fed trailer below...
And, please remember to visit and Like the film's Facebook page! Lots of useful articles on edible cannabis recipes, culture and science over there.
A rainbow refracting off the clouds next to the Supermoon eclipse last night. I shot this at the very end of the eclipse, from my street corner in Montreal's NDG neighbourhood.
Here's a technical explanation about how this very special rainbow phenomenon occurred: I have no idea.
A belated and prelated happy International Pickle Day to all. It falls on various days of the year depending who you ask and how you Google. I figured today is as good as any to celebrate, so I posted this hearty photo I took.
Read about my pickle documentary, Posthumous Pickle Party here. It's all about the late great Montreal concombrista Simcha Leibovich of the now defunct Simcha's Grocery on St-Laurent Boulevard, aka The Main.
Eat a pickle today, rejoice tomorrow. Plan for it yesterday.
Fun fact: CBC Montreal's Canada Now nightly newscast aired the film the same day I shot and edited it after I "cold" called them and showed them a copy. They told me it was the first time they'd ever shown a complete short film on their newscast.
The film was also shown in 2010 up on a big outdoor screen at the NDG Off The Wall Film Festival which took place 250 feet from the Sherbrooke/Old Orchard sidewalk where the film was shot.
(YidLife Crisis creators/stars Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman. Click above image to watch Episode 1.)
If you like Yiddish, food, or out-of-left-field short comedy web series, you should check out the first instalment of YidLife Crisis by my buddies Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman. It's a 4-part series with episodes being rolled out leading up to Christmas.
This one has Urban Bonfire's Ryan Bloom taking a stock Kamado Joe grill out on the road and challenging award-winning Blackstrap BBQ "Pitmaster" Dylan Kier to a flame-filled duel to see if his famous steaks, ribs and pork roasts come out as well on the "Joe" as with his prized, industrial-grade hickory smokers.
Please watch the video to find out and thanks for sharing it with your food-lover friends.
If you still haven't seen the first video in this series, "Meet Urban Bonfire", you can watch it here. Thanks to all who checked it out last week and sent feedback. I loved reconnecting with you all.
Spring is here and warm outdoor time is (~hopefully~) right around the corner up here in Montreal and out where you are.
Cool news to share... I was asked by an old friend, Ryan Bloom (co-owner of the exquisite Rustique Pie Kitchen), to direct two short films for his brand new venture, Urban Bonfire, located right next door to Rustique on Notre-Dame West in St-Henri.
Ryan describes Urban Bonfire like this: "Our goal is to work with people and their spaces to maximize both the economic and experiential elements of every rooftop, balcony, backyard, deck or country home they want to bring to life."
Urban Bonfire will not only sell you a sweet barbecue, they'll also take your backyard and whip it into an oasis for family & friends. For Ryan and Urban Bonfire partner/designer Stefan Marchant, everything revolves around "Celebrating Outdoor Gathering Spaces".
And that's exactly what we went for in the two videos we created for their gorgeous new shop.
Please watch the first video, Meet Urban Bonfire, which just launched on the store's website and on YouTube. It features music by among others, another old friend, Dylan Silverstein, and was deftly edited by Rebecca Lessard.
If you enjoy the video, feel free to share with a friend who may need a barbecue, some grilling accessories, or even a spruced-up backyard. There's even a bbq promo on now at the shop too.
The 2nd video, in which I follow Ryan and a barbecue to Verdun's beloved Blackstrap BBQ, will launch next week. I'll share that with you then.
Enjoy the spring! Hope you're outside grilling and chilling soon...
"It's a big world out there. It's an Ez Sez Blog in here."
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Visit EzraSoiferman.com to see some of Ezra's many photo series, get info on his films & more. Ez sez: "Come for the flicks, check out the pix!"
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In 2016-2017, Ezra served as the first Artist-in-Residence at Tweed - a division of Canopy Growth, one of the world's largest legal cannabis companies - and the world's first artist-in-residence at a cannabis company. Click HERE to see the press kit featuring articles on the groundbreaking year-long residency.
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Follow @EzraSoiferman on Instagram today! It's a colourful world in there...
Ezra Soiferman is a Montreal-based artist with a few cameras and a bunch of ideas. He shoots documentary films, does street photography, and shares some of his coolest news via the Ez Sez Blog and shares his best photo series and videos at EzraSoiferman.com.
If you want to say hello, would like to purchase a copy of a film of his, if you’ve found a photo you absolutely must have up on a wall, or if you want to offer one as a present to a friend, drop a note to ezrasoif at gmail dot com.
To get EzSez blog posts by email whenever they are published, leave your address in the Subscribe box above.
Watch "The Walls of Montreal", the inaugural project from Ezra's Tweed Artist-in-Residence year
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Read about about and order Ezra's acclaimed book “Last Game at The Forum” released on the 20th anniversary of the last Canadiens game at the Montreal Forum. (Click HERE to view)
GRASS FED (2015, CBC Documentary Channel)
Read about and learn how to watch Ezra's latest doc, Grass Fed. More info here.
Ezra is the Director and Co-Founder of the Montreal Film Group, a 2500+ member film and TV industry networking group.
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In 2007-2010, Ezra created and served as the director of CinemaSpace, the 77-seat (first in the world with hemp upholstered movie theatre seats), HD, surround-sound film screening room at Montreal's Segal Centre for Performing Arts.
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Ezra co-produced Film Pop in 2007, the film festival section of the Pop Montreal International Music Festival.
The Montreal Film Group featured as a 2007 Noisemaker. Read article
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Ezra featured as a Quebecer of the Year, 1998
Ez with a few friends...
Ezra interning at Jim Henson Productions while attending NYU
DOCKSIDE TO BEDSIDE: 100 YEARS OF HERZL (2013, CityTV/Air Canada))
Narrated by Dennis Trudeau & Denys Arcand. Watch the film for free here
POSTHUMOUS PICKLE PARTY (2012 Vision TV / 2007, Canal D)
Co-Produced by Matt Zimbel and Ezra Soiferman. Winner of the 2008 Ville de Montreal Prize at Eurofest. More info.
COD HELP US (2005, NFB/CBC)
MAN OF GREASE (2000, TVO, CBC Newsworld, Air Canada, CTV, etc.)
"Yes, yes... I call you Azik one time!" Tony Koulakis of Cosmos Snack Bar in NDG. Read about the film and purchase a fresh copy.
TREE WEEKS (1998, CBC Newsworld/SRC/RDI)
Chuck & Randy in Tree Weeks, co-directed by Ezra Soiferman and Adam Steinman. Read about the film.
PRESSURE DROP (1994, NYU thesis film, 20+ Film Festivals)
Co-directed by Marc Ostrick and Ezra Soiferman. Winner of the NYU/Warner Bros. Production Award. Watch the film.
For More Peace...
Slogan and drawing by Ezra on September 12, 2001. As featured on Woody Harrelson's VoiceYourself.com. Ezra met him in NY a few years later and Woody said "Start Art, Not War... I like that!" View full size drawing.
"Bear With Me"
Photo by Max Beer, 2003
Ez with David Suzuki, 2005.
Ez with Scott Thompson (Kids In The Hall) and a hemp cookie.
Alpacas In Alpaca Hats - Official Ez Sez Mascots
Peru, 2004; concept and pix by Ezra Soiferman. Click here to learn why these guys are the Ez Sez mascots.
Recordings
Ezra writes and records country-folk music whenever there's a free moment. Stay tuned for new songs coming soon... a collaboration with his old friend Dylan Silverstein.
"Self-Portrait with alpaca hat and a bag of free snacks at a swanky airport lounge"
Ciao Mein!
Pick a random date and enjoy the trip deep into the Ez Sez Archives!
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