With Monday’s annual culinary competition in the rearview mirror, Iowa City’s coffeehouses will renounce rivalries and join together with FilmScene on March 6 to celebrate the city’s impressive coffee culture.
The event will feature coffee and snacks from seven local coffee shops (including Java House, T-Spoons, and High Ground) and a screening of Barista, a film released in 2015 that follows individuals preparing for the 2015 National Barista Championship.
“The Bijou Film Board had been interested in the documentary film Barista for a while, but we were unsure of how to fit it into our regular programming,” Bijou programming director said Monique Singson in an email.
The film offers a glimpse into a surreal world few of us knew existed. The masses drink their daily cup (or three) without much awareness of the intense artistry some people dedicate to this seemingly routine practice.
Singson said the film felt especially appropriate for an Iowa City audience.
“I was particularly interested because there are many people in Iowa City, like myself, who are both students and baristas,” she said.
Despite its title, in the film, the term “barista” is cast aside for such words as “performers” or “craftsmen” to better describe the competitors. Over-waxed mustaches and man buns are aplenty among this group, but their charm and dedication more than make up for their somewhat overwrought eccentricities.
The rules of the competition itself are relatively open to interpretation — entrants are given 15 minutes to prepare 12 drinks for the judges but can make whatever they want, however they want, with whatever beans they want; you get the story — but the world of professional barista competitions comes with its own set of customs.
For example, there is a general understanding that Charles Babinski is the undisputed king of barista culture. Babinski, whom The New York Times called the “high priest” of coffee, has been a finalist at the championship numerous times and has won once. Capitalizing on his success, over the years he opened a series of wildly successful coffee shops on the West Coast.
The film does an excellent job of contextualizing the relative drama present in the event, and as a result, the film’s narrative becomes extremely captivating. By the end, just as a national champion is to be crowned, you will have chosen a side: Do you support the Babinski dynasty or are you rooting for the underdog?
The tickets, which are available at FilmScene, 118 E. College St., are $5 for students with valid IDs, $10 for the general public. Tickets include access to a pre-screening coffee tasting featuring blends from all of the event’s participants. Pastries will be provided by Java House.
“We saw this as a great opportunity to bring Iowa City’s film lovers and coffee connoisseurs together in a special, community-centered event,” Singson said. “We wanted to encourage a strong sense of community, artistry, and independent filmmaking.”