Thank You For Smoking

Colour, 35 mm
USA, 2005, 92 min
Section: Horizons

Synopsis

Nick Naylor is well established in his career working for a major tobacco company where his job description requires him to promote the appeal of smoking in the eyes of the public. Thanks to his resourcefulness, cynical wit and experience, he is able – like every decent devil’s advocate – to quash all his opponents’ objections in favour of his employer. Together with his two best mates (one works for an alcohol producer, the other for an arms supplier), Nick is part of a trio known as the Merchants of Death. The cowboy with the cigarette isn’t doing too well at the moment, and the associations between smoking and painful death are becoming increasingly all too evident. What’s more, Nick would like to set an example for his 12-year-old son Joey. The “positive” presentation of his own work in front of his son’s class is only the first in a series of hurdles which test Nick’s ingenuity. And what if someone threatened to kidnap him and subject him to destructive treatment to help him quit smoking? The debut director behind this star-studded satirical comedy is the son of successful American director Ivan Reitman – Jason Reitman.

About the director

Jason Reitman (b. 1977) is the son of actress Genevieve Robert and successful Hollywood director of Slovak origin Ivan Reitman, in whose films he appeared in cameo roles (e.g. Ghost Busters II – 1998, Dave – 1993). Like his father (e.g. Ghost Busters, 1984, Evolution – 2001) he is drawn to satirical comedies. Before his successful debut Thank You For Smoking, on which he was also executive producer, he wrote and directed several award-winning shorts: Operation (1998), H@ (1999), In God We Trust (2000 – Best Short Film at the festivals in Aspen and Austin, Jury Grand Prix for Best Short Feature at the Florida film festival, screened at the Karlovy Vary IFF), Gulp (2001), Uncle Sam (2002) and Consent (2004 – Best Film at the Short Film Festival in Aspen).