Brewmaster
SIFF's capsule summary: "Tap into the craftsmanship, passion, and innovation of the modern craft beer industry through the stories of an ambitious New Yorker opening his first brewery and a Milwaukee educator striving to become a Master Cicerone, the brewers equivalent of a sommelier.
'I don't think a movie can tell someone to drink beer, but it can certainly make you think about beer in a way where you go, "I want to be part of that. I want to know how these different things are made."' Jackie Ruth - Shuffle Online" (US, 2018, 91 minutes)
SIFF link: Brewmaster
This is a documentary introduces itself as a documentary about the US craft brew industry, but it mostly gets caught up in a handful of personality profiles, and lots of interviews with people talking about how much they love beer. Some of the people featured were studying to learn more about beer, and they talked about that too.
This could have been a decent 30 minute documentary short, or it could have included more than just people talking about their love of beer. Although the photography and the archival clip research are excellent, the film just didn't figure out how to fill out a feature film without repeating itself. I slept through about half of the film, and it still felt repetitive.
Overall, I rate the film fair.
Languages: English.
Rating: I don't think this film has a US rating (yet), but I'd guess it would rate a "PG-13"; the only thing unsuitable for children is the omnipresence of alcohol consumption.
Screening: 12 noon, Pacific Place (room 4).
Audience: a typical SIFF press screening crowd, around 100, about 285 seats (estimated capacity).
Snacks: none.
Ads and announcements: no ads at press screenings; SIFF volunteer "R" provided announcements.
Notes to myself:
SIFF statistics: 89 films (56 features, 27 shorts), 59 time slots, 6 parties. ("J": only four parties, and 20 shorts, and three fewer films.)
'I don't think a movie can tell someone to drink beer, but it can certainly make you think about beer in a way where you go, "I want to be part of that. I want to know how these different things are made."' Jackie Ruth - Shuffle Online" (US, 2018, 91 minutes)
SIFF link: Brewmaster
This is a documentary introduces itself as a documentary about the US craft brew industry, but it mostly gets caught up in a handful of personality profiles, and lots of interviews with people talking about how much they love beer. Some of the people featured were studying to learn more about beer, and they talked about that too.
This could have been a decent 30 minute documentary short, or it could have included more than just people talking about their love of beer. Although the photography and the archival clip research are excellent, the film just didn't figure out how to fill out a feature film without repeating itself. I slept through about half of the film, and it still felt repetitive.
Overall, I rate the film fair.
Languages: English.
Rating: I don't think this film has a US rating (yet), but I'd guess it would rate a "PG-13"; the only thing unsuitable for children is the omnipresence of alcohol consumption.
Screening: 12 noon, Pacific Place (room 4).
Audience: a typical SIFF press screening crowd, around 100, about 285 seats (estimated capacity).
Snacks: none.
Ads and announcements: no ads at press screenings; SIFF volunteer "R" provided announcements.
Notes to myself:
SIFF statistics: 89 films (56 features, 27 shorts), 59 time slots, 6 parties. ("J": only four parties, and 20 shorts, and three fewer films.)