"SOMM" - A Documentary Film about Four Men Taking the Master Sommelier Exam, Given By The Court Of Master Sommeliers

[Fishinnards]

I just saw this trailer for a documentary on the Prestigious Master Sommelier Exam. Looks to be an entertaining film if your into that sort of thing.

[darkstar965]

This looks to be highly entertaining. The trailer is a super marketing vehicle that should drive interest.

The film's facebook page advertises an April premiere. I'm guessing it'll come through one of the Landmark theaters here by summer or fall depending on their festival circuit plans.

Thanks for sharing.

[darkstar965]

Interesting WSJ piece about the somm phenomenon with a plug for the film at the end.

(Subscription required)

[cheezepowder]

If anyone is interested, SOMM is playing this Wed, Nov. 6, at 8pm at the Avalon, 5612 Connecticut Avenue, NW, DC.

(And here's the thread when it played at the Angelika.)

[lion]

It was a very informative documentary on the qualifications required for the mastery status. As I get older I wonder more about the motivations of the people involved with these kind of insular worlds that in some respects are based upon subjective analysis.

I was entertained by the film, and thankfully it wasn't as brutal in the outcomes as the cake one, "The Kings of Pastry".

[southdenverhoo]

I'm kind of sort of "related" to one of the featured guys, Dustin Wilson, now at Eleven Madison Park, in a complicated 21st century way...(His nephew, by marriage, is my step-grandson-- the younger of the two dudes in the picture at left, actually).

It occurs to me this is the most famous person I know well enough to say I "know"...

Wonderful guy. Deserves the accolades, worked extremely hard, even monomaniacally, to get there.  Haven't seen the film yet but really want to.

[darkstar965]

Did anyone else catch the film tonight at the Avalon?  Between this and the other thread from when it showed at Angelika at Mosaic in June, not a lot of reaction here.   I'd been very interested to see it but it hasn't yet had widespread distribution.  The date tonight finally worked.

From a pure film-making perspective, I think the best thing about the film is that the filmmakers simply allowed a compelling story to unfurl without too much embellishment or distraction.  They did a nice job with the background music, pacing and using humor to break up the steadily rising tension leading to The Exam and delivery of results. I liked the shattering full or partly-full wine glasses as transitions between scenes.  The winners and losers were a bit predictable but I really liked that they allowed viewers to get to know the characters--those sitting for the exam.

All said, I loved it!  What a great peek into a fascinating world.  Very instructive, fun and prompts deep appreciation and respect for any who make it through that gauntlet.  The 6-glass blind tasting seemed especially daunting.

I'd love to know what some of the pros (journalists, wine experts, somms and restauranteurs) on this board think of the film. Is it fair?  Helpful even? To me, it seems an honest depiction that probably helps the industry by educating and engaging viewers.

[ChiantiandFava]

Just a heads up, this is available now streaming on netflix.