While some married couples might view argument as a weakness in the bond, Sandra Tomc and Roger Evan Larry see it differently. As co-writers and producers of the documentary Citizen Marc (which Larry directed), a lively but contentious account of the life and (mostly high) times of Canadian marijuana-legalization activist Marc Emery – recently released from a U.S. jail after serving four years on a single charge of "conspiracy to manufacture marijuana" – the two argued a lot. But rather than interfere with the collaborative process, the disagreements strengthened it. The final result is the product of a 100-per-cent mutually agreed upon final cut. And heaven knows Emery, who admits to never having met a camera lens he didn't like, is an easy man to argue about.
Why a film about Marc Emery?
Roger Larry: We were inspired by documentaries like Hoop Dreams and the 7 Up films, that follow a subject over years. It wasn't that we were attracted to the marijuana issue per se, or Marc Emery himself, but when we got deeper into his story we found a subject who we were certain would have enough narrative happening in his life to make the time worth it. And also because he was a figure who perplexed both Sandy and me and got us arguing about just what is the point of this? So we figured this is the guy.
Sandra Tomc:He was this all-purpose protester. Any kind of anti-government cause and he was keen on it. And because we are very different from him politically, that also was intriguing.
RL:We're very sympathetic to the marijuana-legalization cause, but at the same time profoundly disagreed with the libertarian view of the universe that Emery espouses. So all these contradictions seemed like something that was worth taking on. What changed was once we realized how interesting the past was. It then became a critical biopic. The deeper we dug, the more interesting levels and levels of contradiction intrigued us.
How did you feel about him and his very large personality?
RL: That was one of the things we argued about. I was always more sympathetic.
ST:I was less so.
RL:But because we are co-authors and shared the final cut, arguing is central to the process. The fact is, Emery's somebody that undeniably has been effective. So regardless of our personal feelings toward him, or what you think of the way he's involved in stuff, what was really the question that fascinated was how the largeness of his personality related to his undeniable success as an activist and as a financier of activism. Particularly in this age of political stasis, when the status quo seems so untenable yet so unchangeable, we think it's very important to look at figures like Emery who have been able to mobilize massive public support.
ST: He's also a figure who could be regarded ambiguously. He's important, but is he heroic? There's all these awful things that are wrong with the world and maybe marijuana legalization isn't a gigantic priority compared with some issues. At the same time, so many people are imprisoned for a really nothing crime that it also makes his odyssey more touching and raises the stakes around his fight.
The movie compels you to ask, because he's such a publicity junkie, just how sincere Emery is about the marijuana cause. But then it makes you ask if sincerity even matters provided it gets the bigger job done.
ST: That's absolutely the dilemma that we faced. He's a kind of P.T. Barnum-ish guy. His activism was very much interfaced with this kind of posturing and performance that was really exaggerated . At the same time, he went to jail, and that's sort of the rock bottom of authenticity. So that's a very interesting question. And it's one that we kept confronting over and over again.
RL:And that we still wrestle with, and even now you can hear Sandy and me still wrestling with this. I hope viewers will, too, after they see the film. We shared final cut so we agree with everything that's in the movie, but we sure don't agree with everything to do with Marc Emery.
This interview has been condensed and edited.
Citizen Marc is screening in select cities, including Montreal (Oct. 23), Winnipeg (Oct. 20, Larry in attendance; Oct. 24-30), Edmonton (Oct. 24-30), Calgary (Oct. 22, Larry in attendance; Oct. 24-30), Vancouver (Oct. 23, Larry and Tomc in attendance), New Westminster, B.C. (Oct. 24, Larry and Tomc in attendance; Oct. 25-30), Victoria (Oct. 27, Larry in attendance; Oct. 31-Nov. 6).
Geoff Pevere