COCAINE UNWRAPPED

 LAUNCHES WORLDWIDE ONLINE DISTRIBUTION VIA YOUTUBE AND JOURNEYMAN 

A new film which brings a unique spotlight onto the global war on drugs, and specifically the story of cocaine will now be available worldwide to download online via YouTube and Journeyman via www.cocaineunwrapped.com. COCAINE UNWRAPPED is the untold story of the human suffering and cost caused by the cocaine trade and the war against it and is Directed by Award winningRachel Seifert (Who Am I? The Found Children of Argentina) and Award winning Executive Producer Christopher Hird (The End of the Line, The War You Don’t See, Black Gold).

COCAINE UNWRAPPED brings us unprecedented access to the political leaders of Latin America. While Western demand for cocaine reaches record levels, so does the violence at every stage of the global trade in the drug. The film explores the international network of violence, imprisonment, poverty and addiction caused in its wake. With front line reportage from coca farmers in Bolivia, drugs mules in Ecuadorian prisons, cocaine factories in the Colombian jungle, dealers on the streets of Mexico and Baltimore - and consumers from the clubs and dinner tables of the West – Cocaine Unwrapped portrays a story of death, economic devastation and human suffering and brings the war on drugs into a completely new light.

The white carpet film premiere for COCAINE UNWRAPPED took place on Wednesday 16^th May at the Prince Charles Cinema Leicester Square followed by a discussion chaired by Sir Ian Kennedy, Chair of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and featuring a high profile panel including the Bolivian Ambassador H.E Roberto Calzadilla, Mike Trace, Chairman of the International Drug Policy Consortium and the former deputy UK drug tsar, Ariel Moutsatsos, Head of Public Affairs at the Mexican Embassy and Grace Livingstone, Latin American Bureau and author of 'Inside Colombia: Drugs, Democracy and War.' The rigorous panel discussion called for a much stronger awareness in the UK on the deadly cycle of the cocaine trade and a more open public and political debate on the future direction of drugs policy.

Leading advertising agency, Leo Burnett, also collaborated with Dartmouth Films to create a special campaign around the issues that Rachel Seifert’s film explores.  The work created by Leo Burnett includes sound design and two short films that introduce ‘Cocaine Unwrapped’, aiming to amplify the impact for Rachel’s film, promoted under the catch line: “You Can’t Ignore What’s Under Your Nose.”

Director Rachel Seifert said: “I hope that this film can engage the public in a debate and help to make a difference. The UK is one of the largest consumers of cocaine, and as a country has a hugely influential part to play in being able to affect change by reviewing our drugs policy. Let’s hope the recent House of Lords UK Drugs Policy Review will enable drugs policy to move forward in a more effective way.”

Christopher Hird, Executive Producer said: “Four years in the making,  on a very small budget,  Rachel Seifert has produced a film in the best traditions of what Dartmouth Films tries to do: make documentaries which have an impact – which raise public awareness, which change consumer behaviour and which force politicians to act. Watch this film and you will never think about drugs in the same way again.”