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Week 6: Website Activity Video Search

Caffeinated
Renata Alexander
October 2, 2016
COM 30563 Visual Communications
Ottawa University

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Caffeinated

Ever since December 28, 1895, in a caf in Paris, people have paid to see the spectacle
that is moviemaking (Lester, 2014, p. 315). These motion pictures captivate audiences for their
keen ability to help shape society and culture. It is these moving images that give us ideals to
strive for and ideas to try to comprehend (Lester, 2014, p. 329). However, such spectacles of
greatness can also skew ones understanding of general concepts, like pain, simply because
Hollywood stars create an unrealistic representation of real-life in their roles (Thoman, 1993).
Despite this, there are films that can positively transform society and allow others to see common
topics and people in a new light. There are films that allow a compelling story to share an
intended message (Lester, 2014, p. 335).
A film that changed my perception of culture and society was the documentary,
Caffeinated. The documentary details the process and journey a coffee bean goes through, from
the planting all the way to roasting and bagging for commercial resale (Paltrowitz, 2015).
Not only did the documentary uncover the fruition process, it also told stories of the
individuals who worked the plantations. It told the stories of those who own the coffee bean
farms and the family traditions they hold. It told of the struggle and joy farmers and their
workers have during fruitful and difficult seasons. It told the stories of those who love coffee and
how they enjoy it from all around the world.
As an avid coffee lover, I was intrigued to watch the film. I wanted to know more about a
beverage of which I consider myself a connoisseur. Coffee is not just coffee to me. It is not just a
choice caffeine beverage to get me going. It is a source of ministry and cultivating of

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relationships. After watching this film, I have made it a goal of mine to visit a coffee bean
plantation in Central America.
I think watching the film has changed my perception of the coffee culture and society of
those who work on farms to cultivate the international delicacy. It showed me that coffee is a
beverage overflowing of hard work, love, and labor. The film also showed me that there is, in
fact, a coffee connoisseur culture; that coffee is a beverage truly enjoyed by millions, if not
billions, of people all across the globe.
Coffee is a universal bond among cultures and peoples. The film ultimately showed me
the creation and consumption of coffee beans is a labor of love. It is more than a bean of
caffeine. There are a rhyme and reason as to why farmers grow it as they do, depending on where
you are in the world, and where in the world the coffee bean first took root. In other words, there
is a story behind it (Paltrowitz, 2015). It starts from somewhere because of someone. The film,
most importantly, showed me cultures and peoples connect with each other by far more than
words and images.
Films, such as Caffeinated, can emotionally captivate us. They can tell stories universally
known and understood (Lester, 2014, p. 331). They can shatter stereotypes, or they can create
them (Lester, 2014, p. 327). It all comes down to why a director or production company created a
film. If the film merely exists to make sell tickets or promote unrealistic ideals, then it will
probably not advance society, at least not positively (Thoman, 1993). If the film came to life to
share someones story and help people understand their current generation, then it will probably
change perceptions, and maybe even win an Oscar.

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References

Lester, P. (2014). Visual communication: Images with messages (6th ed.). Boston:
Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.
Paltrowitz, D. (Interviewer). (2015). Caffeinated Directors Vishal Solanki & Hanh Nguyen
talk about coffee, their new film. [Interview transcript]. Retrieved from
Downtown

Magazine NYC website: http://www.downtownmagazinenyc.com/caffeinated-

directors

vishal-solanki-hanh-nguyen-talk-about-coffee-their-new-film/

Thoman, E. (1993). Making Connections: Media's Role in our Culture of Violence. CML Center
for Media Literacy.