New trailer released for Canadian tech drama BlackBerry

"Picture acellphone and an email machine all in one thing."

So begins the trailer forBlackBerry,which tells the story of the at-one-timemassively successful Canadiansmartphoneline from Waterloo, Ont.-basedResearch In Motion.

It stars Canadian Jay Baruchelascompany co-creatorMike Lazaridis and Glenn Howertonas co-CEO Jim Balsillie. BlackBerryhad its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in February, and screened at Austin Texas festival South By Southwest on Tuesday.

Like the film itself, the trailer outlines the rise and fall of the BlackBerry, beginning withLazaridisand company co-creator Douglas Fregin (played by director Matt Johnson) bringingBalsillieinto the fold as CEO.

Later a group of executives are presented a prototype of the titular smartphone.

"Try typing with your thumbs," suggests Lazaridis.

The film was adapted from the 2015 bookLosing the Signal: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of BlackBerry, by Sean Silcoff and Jacquie McNish.

"At one point in time [Research in Motion]controlled 50per cent of the cellphone market,"directorJohnson toldCBC'sElamin Abdelmahmoudin an interview onCommotionlast month.

"There was a shining moment, when a Canadian company had a larger control of the cellphone market than Apple does now."

BlackBerrywill be releasedin theatres May 12, and will be available onCBC and CBC Gem early next year.