The word documentary normally gets us yawning– except when it has to do with food. Or in the case of one particular film, craft beer. While most film festivals heavily promote celebrities and their indie roles, we are here to push the efforts of two filmmakers.
Directed by Chip Hiden and Alexis Irvin, Blood, Sweat, and Beer follows two breweries. Both are struggling to promote their individual businesses due to various legal and/or economic issues. We watch their stories unfold, along with pertinent industry trivia mixed in for good measure.
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On the one hand, there's Danny Robinson of Shorebilly Brewing Company in Ocean City, Maryland. He's being sued because another company currently owns the rights to Shorebilly's name. Elsewhere in America, Matt Katase and Asa Foster are banking on the support of both the mayor and community of Braddock, Pennsylvania (plus a number of investors and Kickstarter fans) to successfully launch The Brew Gentleman Beer Company. If you don't know much about Braddock, you're about to.
We won't tell you how either brewery fares, but we will admit their personalities are as down-to-earth as they come. Hearing everybody's back story of how they decided to brew gave us perspectives we weren't expecting. It's a real movie for people wanting to start up their own business. It's also a cautionary tale worth viewing.The documentary will be on the big screen tonight at 6 p.m. at Island Cinema. For more information check out the film festival by clicking here.
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A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.