Silver’s Uprising

From Orthodox-raised youth soldier to folk hero to…kingpin? When Amos Dov Silver learned he could safely treat his PTSD with cannabis, he created a mobile app that irrevocably altered Israel’s drug trade, only to run afoul of the law and become the subject of one of the country’s most infamous trials.In 2019, Amos Dov Silver was arrested as the leader of Telegrass, an illicit Israeli cannabis network operating via the encrypted messaging service Telegram. Raised in a strict Orthodox home, Silver eventually spurned religion to become a patriotic soldier, only to reject the Israeli establishment and become a pro-cannabis leader. In organizing public demonstrations and the Telegrass network, Silver was catapulted simultaneously to folk hero and state adversary. Now, as the beloved Silver awaits the biggest cyber trial in Israeli history, accusations of corruption and greed call his character into question. SILVER’S UPRISING is a rousing documentary that examines the rise and fall of the “Green Messiah” through intimate interviews, archival footage, and beautiful hand-painted-style animation. This film is asking: Is Silver an arrogant guru or brilliant activist? Is Telegrass a public good or dangerous criminal syndicate? And is one morally justified in rejecting laws they find shameful? —D.O.