Baristas

Documentary filmmaker Rock Baijnauth’s 2015 film Barista followed five competitors vying for the U.S. Coffee Championship title. His charming and suspenseful sequel Baristas expands the scope, focusing on the World Barista Championship, specifically four National Barista Champions: Chloe from Germany, Miki from Japan, Niall from Ireland, and Kyle from the U.S. The cameras capture competitors as they prepare for the grueling challenges that lie ahead in Seoul, which include creating original blends and giving a talk to judges about how baristas do what they do. The film is driven by the unique personalities of the sundry contestants and the influences of their respective home cultures on their work. Of course, there are many other national champions beyond Baijnauth’s subjects who are seeking that World crown, which makes the chances of any one of the quartet here triumphing much dicier. But watching the hard work and passion that goes into earning a place at the competition is indeed moving and this should definitely appeal to coffee lovers. Recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)