CIA drug trafficking in American cities is the punchline. But Ralfi doesn't find it all that funny. As he prepares for fatherhood, he's forced to make a tough decision: either spend the next five years in prison, or go along with the joke and sell 10 kilos of cocaine.

The Exchange is based loosely on alleged events that occurred during the Iran/Contra scandal in the 1980’s. However, its themes – government corruption and our relationship to the media – are a reflection of today's society.

I tried to achieve a level of irony between form and content that left viewers thinking about how we consume information. I used many distancing techniques – a very mannered acting style, tableaus, text and long takes.

© 2005, running time 23 minutes
Super 16 mm, black and white