Just Say Know

Winner, The Other Venice Film Festival 2005

Just Say Know: This profoundly personal artistic achievement follows filmmaker Tao Ruspoli's family as they explore their individual relationships to heroin and opium addiction.

The film stars Prince Dado Ruspoli, Tao's father, eccentric Italian aristocrat known for inspiring Fellini's Dolce Vita, his close friendship with artists like Salvador Dali and Jean Cocteau, and for his years 45 years of Opium addiction. Read Dado's obituary, which includes mention of Just Say Know in the Manchester Guardian: (printed below) http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,12576,1399267,00.html

The film also stars Debra Berger, Tao's mother, star of Marcel Carne's Marvelous Visit. Debra lived with Dado and smoked opium with him for 10 years before moving to the United States and becoming a sculptor, an interior designer, and a clandestine heroin addict.

Finally, the film stars Bartolomeo Ruspoli, Tao's wild and eccentric younger brother who is married to Aileen Getty, 20 year his senior and heiress to the Getty fortune. Bartolomeo has struggled with Heroin and other drug addictions for most of his life. He is interviewed in the film while attempting to kick heroin.

Shot on two continents, this film brilliantly weaves together three generations of use, addiction, and recovery with a poetic sense of affirmation and joy and none of the self-pity so typical of this genre. 30 minutes

"I feel I am on solid ground with an artist who is willing to take chances, to reveal what it is like to be alive on planet earth, struggling; and an artist who has used this personal stuff to create an object which is moving, enlightening, and more human than any film I've seen in ages...Congratulations, Tao, "Just Say know" is a truly fine film (I love it, I cried, it made my own day brighter.)"
-Paul Williams

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• ruspoli
• tao
• drugs
• opium
• heroin
• addiction
• lafco

[11ethan111]

weed and psychedelics are pretty safe

[1WHOSTUBE1]

is this what alphanumeric was referring to by the shirts saying just say know

[playstationpod]

u can overdose on opium -.-

[LordBendah]

I am an opium addict myself.. Not quite sure what he means by the "ritual"

Perhaps Dado is referring to the act of smoking opium itself..

I agree with him 100%, and will take opium over all other opiates.

That was a beautiful pipe btw.

[maximon2]

The inclusion of ritual in whatever one does in life enhances the experience to a whole other level: Ritual adds dignity and grace to the act of living.

Dado was a magician of ritual...

[wickedjonny20]

tHANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO , I AM NOT A DRUG USESR BUT I AM IN COLLEGE TO BE A SOCIAL WORKER AND THIS HAS GIVEN ME AN INSIGHT INTO THE TRUE EXPERIENCE AND FEELINGS OF USERS

[splicegraph]

I just posted all 5 parts of this film, hope that's cool? I really think it's one of the most touching and personal drug theme film out there, one that doesn't look for sympathy through war stories. It has a celebration of life outlook!

[poleske]

I think you have to take into account that these people are rather wealthy. Opium in and of itself is not that damaging, much of the damage comes from impurities. I think smoking opium is better for old people. If you are young than it is a waste of time.

[poleske]

Dado Ruspoli has fucking class

[borderhopper]

The film looks very intriguing...and the bit where the elder Raspoli begins explaining his years of smoking "O" just before the clip ends made me want to hear more.