TORONTO

Comedy film 'Canadian Strain' tackles country's cannabis legalization

The Canadian Press Published Thursday, August 16, 2018 1:43PM EDT

Thousands are expected to attend the 4-20 marijuana smoke-in at Vancouver's Sunset Beach Friday, and while the legalization goal of the annual Weed Day will soon be met, an event organizer says there is much more to protest. A woman smokes a joint during the annual 4-20 cannabis culture celebration at Sunset Beach in Vancouver, B.C., on Thursday, April 20, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

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TORONTO -- A comedy about Canada's upcoming cannabis legalization is headed for the big screen.

Canadian company We'll Be Over Here Productions Inc., says production has begun in Toronto on the feature film "Canadian Strain."

Written and directed by Geordie Sabbagh, the film stars Jessica Salgueiro as a boutique weed dealer who has been put out of business by the legalization of cannabis.

Salgueiro hails from Winnipeg and is being featured at this year's Toronto International Film Festival as a Rising Star.

Colin Mochrie plays her dad and Naomi Snieckus plays her uptight retail co-worker.

The cast also includes Natalie Brown, Benjamin Ayres, Dion Johnstone, Hannah Spear, and Nelu Handa.

Recreational marijuana is set to become legal in Canada on Oct. 17.

"The film started with a simple question -- what happens to all the dealers when weed becomes legal?" Sabbagh said in a statement.

"Only in Canada would the answer be the government takes over and they didn't even say they were sorry."