Anne-Marie Fischer
Chris Russo is asking for the help of the cannabis community to finish Lady Buds, a documentary following California 6 women in the cannabis industry for over a year as they transition from the grey to legal markets.
Calling them “modern-day superheroes”, the film follows Karyn Wagner, who supports farmers in Humboldt County; Felicia Carbajal, a restorative justice advocate for minorities; Chiah Rodriques, a second-generation cannabis farmer; Sue Taylor, who is opening a dispensary for seniors; and long-time cannabis culture participants The Bud Sisters.
Each woman has unique struggles, from their social justice quest to hold industry officials accountable, to getting farmers’ products to the legal market, to facing licensing issues while opening a dispensary.
“I had a panic attack,” says Chiah Rodriques of the new regulations for legal cannabis in Calfornia. “To have the threat of the looming industry, the tsunami wave coming, we’re all feeling trepidatious and nervous about it,” she explains as she prepares to move into legal markets.
The profiles of each woman offer a “personal portrait” into the struggles, and triumphs, of this new era of legalization in California.
Kickstarter Campaign
The Kickstarter campaign comes after recognizing that resources to finish production of Lady Buds have run dry, with Russo describing the project as “mostly self-funded on sweat and credit cards”.
“We can change hearts and minds around cannabis healing through the power of film,” says Russo in her Kickstarter campaign, “I have reached a point where I can’t bring this film to completion on my own, which is why I’m turning to you and the community at large for support on Kickstarter.”
“Lady Buds is not just my film — it’s OUR film,” says Russo.
The film promises to be filled with twists and turns when some truths about the legalization process come to the surface.
Why should the cannabis community rally around Lady Buds?
“Because you support women’s films, you care about social justice, and you care about cannabis as medicine,” says Russo, “You’re helping expose the truth about legalization.”
So far, the Kickstarter campaign has reached half of it’s $50,000 goal.
Donate to the campaign here, where you can get incentives for your donation from credit in the film, to a consultation with Russo, or be invited to the Lady Buds wrap party: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ladybuds/lady-buds-the-definitive-documentary-on-women-in-w/description
