Film Lens
A Billion Lives is a documentary directed by Aaron Biebert that examines the impact of smoking on global health, projecting that a billion people will die prematurely from smoking this century. The film features interviews with key figures such as David Goerlitz, the former Winston Man, and public health experts like Delon Human and Derek Yach. It critiques the tobacco industry's history of misleading the public about the dangers of smoking and shows the conflicts of interest that have allowed the cigarette trade to thrive while safer alternatives face heavy restrictions.
The documentary also shifts focus to the e-cigarette and vaping industry, presenting the argument that these alternatives could potentially save lives. It discusses the resistance from the tobacco industry towards vaping products and the financial motivations behind this opposition. The film concludes by addressing the negative perceptions surrounding vaping and the role of pharmaceutical companies and governments in perpetuating these biases.
Why Watch
- •Meet David Goerlitz, the former Winston Man turned anti-smoking advocate.
- •Find out why e-cigarettes could save millions of lives.
- •See the financial ties between governments and tobacco companies.
Did You Know
•The World Health Organization projects a billion smoking-related deaths this century.
•In 20 years, there will be nearly 1.6 billion smokers worldwide.
•A Billion Lives won Best Director and the Supreme Jury Prize at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival in 2016.
•The film was screened at the 5th annual Jozi Film Festival in South Africa, winning Best International Documentary.
Perfect For
Public health advocatesTobacco industry criticsVaping enthusiasts