Setting the Bar: A Craft Chocolate Origin Story (2018) | 1h 25 min | Documentary | USA, Mexico, Australia
dir.: Tim Shephard
audio: English, Spanish
subtitles: Romanian
Cast: Nate Hodge, Steve Bergin, William Vasquez Diaz, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino
Documentary – USA, Mexico, Australia – 2019 – 1h 25 min
Synopsis: Travel from bean to the bar! Setting the Bar follows the top craft chocolate makers in the world as they journey through the deep jungles of the Peruvian Amazon in search of rare native cacao varietals that have never been used in chocolate production. Share in the passion and excitement of the chocolate makers as they travel into the unknown, find purpose in the stories of the indigenous cacao farmers, and view first-hand the widespread impacts of deforestation, drug trade, and large agribusinesses on the Amazonian way of life. Join them as they confront the myriad of issues facing the craft chocolate industry today, hearing from people on all sides of the industry – from government officials and experts in cacao crops to indigenous farmers and specialists in fermentation.
Setting the Bar uncovers a new era of sustainable chocolate trade: one that protects livelihoods, supports environmental sustainability, educates consumers to make better choices, and also creates award winning chocolate bars!
Awards: International premiere at Guadalajara IFF (2019); presented at AFI Latin-American FF (2019), Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival (2019), Cleveland IFF (2020) and in other environmental film festivals (San Francisco, Milwaukee, DOCUTAH, etc.) (2019).