Dirty Pictures

2010 USA
Duration: 80 mins

Overview

Early in his career, the brilliant chemist Alexander Shulgin worked for Dow Chemical. As long as he delivered commercial products, such as pesticides, he could work on whatever he wished with the rest of his time, so he synthesized different variations of the drug Ecstasy (MDMA) until Dow grew concerned with the potential risks and let Shulgin go. He kept on creating—and sampling with his wife, Ann—many different psychedelics, a practice they continue today. Shulgin, now 84, is considered the Godfather of Ecstasy, a moniker he disdains. Director Etienne Sauret spent years following the Shulgins to Egypt, Burning Man and on many other “trips.” The result is a complex portrait of a man who could have made millions at Dow but decided to follow his heart—and experiment on his brain.
—DH

Production Team

Director
Etienne Sauret

Festival Screenings

Featured in the 2010 Mountainfilm Festival.
We value your privacy
We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Allow Cookies", you consent to our use of cookies. For additional details view our Privacy Policy.
Cookie preferences

You can control how your data is used on our website. Learn more below about the cookies we use by reviewing our Privacy Policy.

Your cookie preferences have been saved.