Toronto 2012: Tribeca Film Acquires 'How to Make Money Selling Drugs'

Tribeca Film has acquired U.S. rights to Matthew Cooke’s How to Make Money Selling Drugs, a documentary that looks at both drug dealing and the war on drugs.

our editor recommends

Matthew Cooke, Bert Marcus

The film, which played the Toronto International Film Festival, ranges from street dealers to government officials and includes interviews with 50 Cent, The Wire producer David Simon, Arianna Huffington, Woody Harrelson, Eminem and Susan Sarandon, as well as drug kingpin “Freeway” Rick Ross.

Drugs was produced by Bert Marcus of Bert Marcus Productions and Adrian Grenier (Entourage), the team that created the doc Teenage Paparazzo.

Tribeca is planning a 2013 theatrical release day and date with a VOD release on a variety of platforms.

“This is a work that resonates with truth, anger and insight by an extremely talented filmmaker,” said Geoff Gilmore, chief creative officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “From politics to the police and drug dealers to drug users, the scope of Matthew Cooke’s examination of these illicit networks is extraordinary.”

The deal was negotiated by Nick Savva, Tribeca director of acquisitions, and by ICM Partners and Lawrence Kopeikin on behalf of the filmmakers.