Admit it, you were curious if we could actually pull this off. You probably even thought I was a bit crazy.
“A film about vaping in theaters?”
Well, check out that map we created together!
Today another wave of theaters begins to tell this story to thousands of people. Vapers and former vapers are bringing smokers. Smokers are quitting. They are bringing their loved ones. One sold out show even had scalpers selling tickets for 300% above cost!
The truth is getting out.
Three ways to help make it grow
1) Purchase tickets today for yourself, your customers, or your loved ones to make sure the message gets out and hosted screenings get enough reservations. Share this new Facebook post.
Many businesses that make the tools smokers are using to quit are forbidden from telling the truth, but A Billion Lives gives them a voice. Use tickets as prizes or giveaways. Educating your community is good business.
Click here to search the map for available showtimes near you. Some of the screenings will be out of tickets today. If that happens, don’t worry (or buy from scalpers), check out #2 below.
Some screenings in smaller markets still need to hit their minimum ticket numbers by the deadline. You can see how much time is left by clicking on the event nearest you.
Please help find shops or groups interested in making each event hit the minimum so the members of the public and media that reserved a ticket are able to see the film.
This is the best chance we have to reach the public since it’s hard to invite them to your home. If the minimum is not reached, nobody is charged…and nobody sees the movie.
2) Host a screening in your city. It’s free to setup. The theater only requires about 100 tickets reserved by the deadline to make it happen. Nobody gets charged if it doesn’t happen. Risk-free.
Buy all the tickets and have a company holiday party for your shop or business. Some of the options are dinner theaters.
Tis the season to invite those who spend Thanksgiving & Christmas arguing about this topic. Not only will A Billion Lives settle the argument, but we also give 5% back to the organizers to support advocacy efforts or conduct research.
We have a facebook group to help.
Charles Ploski is doing a tremendous job volunteering to help make this successful. It’s in 20+ cities only because he offered to help in cities where someone didn’t organize a screening.
If you have a question about how to bring the movie to your city, please join our group that Mike started and ask for help.
3) Support us on social media during our current world tour and help bring awareness to the issue. Keep sharing our posts and leaving comments. The media is taking note.
Here’s a recap of what we’ve done and where we’re going:
Toronto – Oct 21
The Hot Docs theater was packed for our Canadian Premiere. The after-party was also a ton of fun. We did a bunch of Canadian press and received great news about bringing the movie to more places in Canada.
Stay tuned for more word there!
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| A Billion Lives on BNN in Toronto |
Hollywood – Oct 26
The Hollywood Premiere and Global Launch Party was amazing. You can
watch my live coverage of the red carpet and search for pictures on Getty Images (we’ll post them
on Facebook soon). Big thanks to Von Erl & friends for hosting an epic party afterwards with many familiar Hollywood faces.
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| This came out the next day |
New York City – Oct 28
Thanks to help from Jeff Stier and the organizing committee, we had an amazing evening at our sold-out New York City Premiere at the Cinepolis Chelsea. I got to hang out with media legend Joey Reynolds and former New York Yankees Cecil Fielder and Jim Leyritz.
We finished the evening with a talk back panel including myself, “Winston Man” David Goerlitz, and Dr. Sally Satel MD (AEI & Yale), which was moderated by Jared Meyer (Manhattan Institute & Forbes).
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| NYC Premiere Panel Discussion |
New Delhi, India – Nov 9
I just got home for a few days before we head to New Delhi for our Indian Premiere at the Ojas Art Center. The World Health Organization is holding their secret Framework Convention on Tobacco Control meeting during the US elections and will bar media from attending the majority of meetings.
Why?
Word on the streets says they will vote to ban the use of safer vapor technology products in countries worldwide.
Not only did we make a new trailer about this battle, but we’re bringing “Winston Man” David Goerlitz with us (and to the events below). He was given a medal from the WHO for his role in helping fight cigarette smoking.
Wait until you see what he does with it…
If you’re going to India to help fight, I’d like to invite you to join us for free at our premiere. I have about 20 tickets reserved for my guests. Reply if you’d like to join us.
Lots of amazing advocates will be there.
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| Click here to watch the new trailer |
Budapest, Hungary – Nov 12
After India, we are proud to have our Hungarian Premiere in one of the most beautiful theaters in the world. It will be in English, with Hungarian subtitles.
Robert Bernarius & Krisztian Pifko have been working tirelessly with the community there to plan this spectacular event. Hungary has been one of the most active international #ABillionLives communities and had almost 2500 Facebook fans within a month of starting.
We are very excited to finally meet our new friends there!
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| Urania National Film Theatre |
Oslo, Norway – Nov 14
Lisbet (our active Norwegian coordinator) is one of the best examples of a non-industry person who quit smoking through the use of vapor technology and is now volunteering to get the truth out there.
She’s worked tirelessly, advocating not only for Norway, but also for nearby Sweden and the rest of the world.
I am very excited to see Norway and meet the other amazing people who are helping their neighbors.
If you’re in the area, come watch the movie with us. Here’s the link to buy tickets. It will be in English, with Norwegian subtitles. We’ll be hanging out afterwards, so plan on making a night of it.
Tallinn, Estonia – Nov 16
We are honored to be invited to the largest film festival in Northeastern Europe, the PÖFF Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.
Thanks to Ingmar and the community in Estonia for helping invite influential people to our Estonian Premiere.
Buy tickets here (presented in English).
Berlin, Germany – Nov 19
This has been a long time coming. Support in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland has been amazing. The German-speaking community has been our #1 international group with the largest
Facebook page and
dedicated group.
Our entire European language volunteer team started more than a year ago with Anja, a volunteer in Germany. Now
look at how far we’ve come!
I was struggling to find a way to make something special and Günter from Von Erl stepped up to co-sponsor the special after-party with InnoCigs. It’s going to be a very special night, and the beginning of bringing the movie to a wider German-speaking audience.We will have our German Premiere at the famous Kino International in Berlin. There will be two sessions to give more of our German friends opportunities to see the movie in German for the first time.
If you can join us, there are some tickets available still. The first event will be a formal premiere and the second will be a less-formal event. Both will end across the street at the Avenue Club.
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| Kino International is iconic for movie premieres |
After that is Thanksgiving in the US and then it looks like I might be back to Europe again for Portugal, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, and Croatia. We’ll keep you updated.If you’ve read all of this, thanks for caring so much. I just stayed up all night writing/designing this, so hopefully it all makes sense.
Talk soon,
