When we were working on Gotham’s High Love New York shoot last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing talent on set for social content. One of the questions we had asked during casting that I repurposed in these interviews was, “Can you tell me about a time when you witnessed cannabis bringing people together?”

We could not have predicted what the overwhelmingly most popular reply would be. Over and over, the interviewee’s eyes lit up as they excitedly told us about the first time they got high with their parents. They told us how bonding it felt, what a relief it was for getting high to transform from something they hid from their mom and dad into something that put them on the same wavelength. It blew us away. As we continued work on the campaign at hand, the marketing team tucked this inspiration away, to be deployed at a later date.

Months later, I found myself on set for the two-day shoot that became The Highs That Bind. Mother’s Day was approaching, and we’d decided to build a campaign around that providentially-discovered trend. Our producer, Jean, had cast four real, NYC-based families to appear in the campaign, and we were filming and photographing them all in their homes across the five boroughs.

Working in content, I’ve been on more than a few shoots in my life. I had never experienced one that felt the way this did. The team and talent were incredible. Everyone was happy to be there. And at some moments, I’m not sure there was a dry eye in the room.

One moment really stands out to me, while we were filming Grace and her kids, Zephyr and Lillian, at Lillian and her boyfriend Redd’s apartment in Brooklyn. Alex, our marketing leader who really spearheaded this campaign, and I were huddled together in Lillian and Redd’s laundry room, listening to the interview and watching it on a small monitor. We’d decided early on to have the interviews take place with as few people in the room as possible. These were real families, not actors, and we were asking them to get vulnerable about family on camera. To make them as comfortable as possible, they needed space. Alex and I listened as Lillian and Zephyr took turns describing their mom, Grace, and her unending kindness. I felt my eyes watering. Then Grace said that getting high with Lillian and Zephyr helped her stop seeing her kids as kids, and start seeing them as people, and that, “it’s such a nice shift to be people together, because the minute you start being people together, you can see yourselves being together for your whole lives.”

The tears started flowing. As soon as we wrapped, I stepped outside to call my mom.

It’s rare and special – and feels almost sacred – to be able to make art in a marketing role. But I really feel that we’ve achieved that with The Highs That Bind. I can’t wait for you to meet these moms and their beautiful families. Maybe you and your mom should swing by the exhibition before a meal on Mother’s Day. I bet she’d love it.

ABOUT ‘THE HIGHS THAT BIND’

The Highs That Bind—an intimate, documentary-style campaign exploring the power of cannabis to deepen familial bonds—is on view on The Mezz at Gotham Bowery, from May 1 through June 1.

Featuring mothers and their adult children, the campaign explores how cannabis creates a sacred space for connection. One where parents and grown kids come to see each other a little differently: as equals, as individuals, as human beings. Through candid interviews and tender portraiture, The Highs That Bind reframes cannabis as a bridge for connection, shared discovery, and unexpected vulnerability. It captures the joy, reflection, and love that emerge when cannabis becomes a shared ritual.

Directed and photographed by New York-based filmmaker Alice Plati, the campaign was filmed in intimate settings – homes, gardens, kitchens – spaces where these families naturally gather. The result is a documentary short that reveals candid conversations about parenting, growing up, mutual admiration and the ways families relate to one another. Each frame captures not only the individuals, but also the rich emotional terrain of growing together.

The campaign also speaks to a fast-growing demographic: baby boomers, and particularly boomer women, who are increasingly embracing cannabis. Recent data shows cannabis use among Americans 65+ tripled between 2009 and 2019, with the sharpest increases seen among women. A 2018 report even noted a 92% increase in cannabis use among female baby boomers, signaling a cultural shift that challenges outdated assumptions and embraces new possibilities.

By telling these stories, Gotham continues its mission to revolutionize the narrative around cannabis consumption.

“The Highs That Bind is not just a tribute to motherhood—it’s a celebration of how cannabis is evolving within families and across generations,” said Joanne Wilson, Founder and CEO of Gotham. “By sharing these stories, we hope to challenge outdated perceptions and honor the many ways cannabis brings people together.”

To celebrate the launch of the campaign, Gotham will host an exhibition of the campaign photography along with additional, never-before-seen images from the shoot, and a presentation of the video piece, on The Mezz at Gotham Bowery. Interactive elements and refreshments provided. The opening event will take place on May 1st at 6PM, with the exhibition on view through June 1st.

Credits:

Directed & Photographed by Alice Plati
Produced by Jean Cabacungan-Jarvis, Area1202