Indie Documentaries on Food & Drink surge in 2015

2015 has been a banner year for indie documentaries about food and drink, chefs and mixologists.

Case in point, Caffeinated, which recently premiered.

Also hitting the screens and circuit, Kickstarter fundedThe Birth of Sake, by Erik Shira. ‘The Birth of Saké’ is a documentary film that explores how sake is handcrafted at a family-owned Japanese brewery named Tedorigawa.

Description: In a world where most mass produced goods are heavily automated, a small group of artisans must brave unusual working conditions to preserve a 2000-year-old tradition that we have come to know as saké. THE BIRTH OF SAKÉ is a cinematic documentary that reveals the story of passionate saké-makers and what it takes to make world-class saké at Yoshida Brewery, a 144-year-old family-owned small brewery in northern Japan. The workers at Yoshida Brewery are an eclectic cast of characters, ranging from 20 to 70 years old. As a vital part of this cast that must live and work for a six-month period through the brutal winter, charismatic veteran brewmaster Yamamoto (65) and the brewery’s sixth-generation heir, Yasuyuki Yoshida (27), are keepers of this tradition, and are the main characters who bring the narrative forward. As craftsmen who must dedicate their whole lives to the making of this world-class saké, their private sacrifices are often sizable and unseen.

From what the TASTE AWARDS can see, this is more than a short-term trend, this is the tip of a very large list of food & drink-based films. More on this topic soon.

Fashion documentary Dior and I continues Film Release Circuit

FYI Channel’s New Culinary TV Series – Man vs Child: Chef Showdown

CAFFEINATED Documentary releases in Theaters, Streaming and on Cable

The documentary CAFFEINATED is enjoying a multi-platform national release in select theaters and iTunes, Amazon, googleplay, Xbox, vudu and all major cable providers including Time Warner, Comcast, directv and more.

CAFFEINATED copy

Film Synopsis: Learn the story behind your morning Joe. From seed to mug, coffee, and the process by which it is created, has shaped the lives of thousands of individuals worldwide. Working with Geoff Watts, famous green-buyer, the filmmakers travel to America’s most populous coffee-drinking cities and to producing countries, interviewing connoisseurs and farmers alike. With a focus on the social and cultural landscape of coffee, Caffeinated gives the coffee consumer unprecedented access to the farmers responsible for growing that perfect bean, and the producers responsible for brewing that perfect cup.

 

Twitter:@TheCoffeeMovie
#CaffeinatedMovie, #TheCoffeeMovie

Website: http://caffeinated.vhx.tv/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Caffeinatedthemovie

YouTube Star MoreZoella Cookie Recipe video hits over 650K Views in 3 Days

Reinforcing the star power and appeal of YouTube stars in all of their various endeavors, comes proof that this applies even to cookie recipes made by non-chefs.

Case in point, MoreZoella, with over 3.4 Million Subscribers on YouTube. Her video, “Baking Cookies & Louise Live” soared past the half million viewers mark within 3 days, or in other words, in about 78 hours. Ironically, she’s not even famous for her cooking, but for her beauty and other vlogging topics.

It is obvious to state that most major networks, cable channels, and media outlets would be thrilled with this type of immediate impact and viewership.

Recently it was announced that Zoella (Zoe Sugg) is releasing a new line of beauty products, as well as has at least two book deals in the works.  (see announcement video below).

What is clear is that if she did decide to expand into the food realm, both fans and sponsors would be lining up.

Either way, Zoella is a good candidate someday for a TASTE AWARD.

 

 

Web Travel Series #HEYUSA is Back on the Road with Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart

The girls of the popular, crowd-sourced travel show #HeyUSA are back with Season 2 on THE SCENE!  Saddle up with social media stars and real life besties – E! Channel personality Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart – as they embark on the adventure of their lives across America. Watch Here.

Hey-USA-hqdefault-1 The Scene is Condé Nast Entertainment’s premiere digital video storytelling network. It features the  original programming from over 20 iconic brands, with a window into the worlds of fashion, sports, culture, comedy and more.

New for Season 2:  Hart will star alongside five fan-selected YouTubers for different adventures each week. Helbig takes on a new role as “puppet master” and will control which cities Hart and company visit, all selected from the fan recommendations. Each new location will be revealed at the top of every episode. #HeyUSA airs every Thursday and Sunday on THE SCENE.

In Episode 4 of #HEYUSA premiering today, Mamrie visits San Francisco with Youtube star Colleen Ballinger. These ladies are trying their luck at Trapeze Arts in Oakland. With a bit of acrobatics training under their belt, can they swing to the other side of the trapeze? Did you know that fortune cookies were created in San Fran? Mamrie and Colleen learn how these hand-made delights are produced at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory as well as read their fortunes. As the girls enjoy some drinks, they learn about Chinese herbal remedies to cure hangovers at The Great China Herb Company.

Mamrie and Colleen jump on the opportunity to visit Drag Kings where they dress up as older gentlemen and head to Oasis for Baloney the gay- all male revue. And what’s a trip to San Fran without checking out the FULL HOUSE house?

WATCH