Coffee is a common motif in nearly all of our lives. We start our day with it, use it as a pick-me-up in the afternoon, or maybe even as a dessert in the evening. We drink it when we are rejoicing or drown our sorrows in it. It infuses many aspects of our life. So, it’s natural that we should see coffee on the silver screen. But how many movies are strictly about coffee itself? Take a look at the following movies about coffee and those who bring it to you.
Top 8 Coffee Movies
1. The Coffee Man (2016)
Follow the journey of world-renowned barista Sasa Sestic as he competes on the stage of the World Barista Championship of 2015 in Seattle, WA. The film begins with him sourcing coffee in Ethiopia, tasting the cherries, and seeing first-hand how it is harvested. His motivation? The quest to find the ever-elusive perfect cup of coffee. Watch the collaborative efforts of the growers, harvesters, team members, and family who work with Sasha as they help him along the way.
2. Coffee Heroes (2020)
This is a sequel to The Coffee Man. 2018 World Barista Champion Agnieszka Rojewksa from Poland is the first woman to ever hold the title. Watch Aga as she is helped along by 2015 champion Sasa Sestic. They take a trip to faraway coffee forests to source the perfect coffee for her use at the championship. See Aga’s resilience, creativity, and fierce desire to win the championship as she is mentored by one of the world’s most coffee-obsessed baristas.
3. Caffeinated (2015)
Experience through film the heart and soul of the coffee industry from the farmers to the people who serve it to you over the counter. Millions of farmers around the world have devoted their lives to growing coffee and drawing their livelihood from it. See their dedication and what drives them. Behind every cup of coffee, there are joys and sorrows, laughter and tears. A great story.
4. A Film About Coffee (2014)
Explore what goes into making a cup of specialty coffee, from the tree to your cup. See the intricate examining process of coffee beans, grading, and roasting. This film is a labor of love to bring transparency to the process of coffee production. See how transparency brings not only delicious coffee to your cup but also integrity and trust.
5. Barista (2015)
Eden-Marie, Charlie, Truman, and Ryan are competing for the 2015 World Barista Championship. Charles Babinski comes along later and plans to steal the show. Watch their unrelenting obsession with coffee and all the ways it can be prepared. See them practice and perfect their craft as they prepare to take the stage. Their craft is an art and a science. The competition involves technical skill and showmanship. They need to balance their desire for creativity with the fundamentals of coffee making in order to win.
6. Baristas (2019)
The sequel to Barista, this documentary follows baristas from the United States, Japan, Ireland, and Germany in the 2017 World Barista Championship in Seoul, South Korea. Learn what it takes for these baristas to develop their already picky and accurate palate so that they can further detect subtleties and mouthfeels in their coffee. They come together for competition but also to be among their own. It’s a lonely life of being misunderstood when you’re always chasing the perfect shot.
7. AeroPress Movie (2018)
Hear the story of famous Aerobie inventor Alan Adler and his side quest to remedy all the negative space in his 12-cup carafe. Alan invents the AeroPress to create a single cup of perfect coffee. Half French press, half syringe, no one expected these toy-like, dinky plastic tubes to have a place in barista competitions. Acclaimed as “the Best Coffee Film of 2018,” this documentary will have you adding an AeroPress to your Amazon cart before it’s over.
8. Shade Grown Coffee (2020)
While coffee that is grown in direct sunlight often has higher yields, it comes with a cost. Sun-grown coffee in open fields can lead to soil erosion. It demands the use of certain chemicals to survive, and the plants use more water. Farmers growing coffee in the shade generally produce better quality coffee and in a more sustainable way. Dive into this film to see how coffee can be grown ethically and sustainably in the shade.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
