Izzy Metz and Annie Jorgensen Celebrated National Cereal Day, Cereal pop with Fruity Pebbles launch event at Black Tap
Last night at Black Tap Herald Square in NYC, Cereal Pop celebrated the launch of their new flavors timed to National Cereal Day.
Cereal Pop with FRUITY PEBBLES® cereal
Cereal Pop made with COCOA PEBBLES® cereal
Foodies, influencers and fans of the innovative popcorn brand came out to enjoy delicious custom CrazyShakes™ featuring the two new popcorn flavors from SNAX-Sational Brands.
Guests such as Izzy Metz and Annie Jorgensen indulged in the Cereal Pop Chocolate and Bam Bam CrazyShakes™; milkshakes covered in cereal pop made with FRUITY PEBBLES® and COCOA PEBBLES®. DJ REIGN spun pop hits and kept the party going. Cereal pop joins candy pop and cookie pop as the newest flavor addition to the premiere popcorn brand sold at Walmart and Sam’s Club nationwide.
Custom Cereal Pop Milkshakes on the menu:
Cereal Pop Chocolate CrazyShake™
1. A milkshake with Chocolate Shake base and Chocolate frosted rim covered in Cereal Pop COCOA PEBBLES®, topped with two chocolate brownies with whipped cream, COCOA PEBBLES® & delicious chocolate drizzle .
Cereal Pop Bam Bam CrazyShake™
2. Vanilla & Fruity Pebbles Shake base with Vanilla frosted rim covered with Cereal Pop FRUITY PEBBLES®, FRUITY PEBBLES® cereal rice krispy treat & strawberry pop tart & Laffy taffy. Topped with whipped cream, FRUITY PEBBLES® & a cherry on top.
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Jérôme Peschard Leads Vietnam Art Renaissance, Launches Art Exhibition at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza in Ho Chi Minh City
Jérôme Peschard Launches Art Exhibition at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza in Ho Chi Minh City
For the past 60 years, Sofitel Hotels & Resorts has epitomised the essence of French art de vivre across the globe. As 2024 heralds its Diamond Jubilee, commemorated with a series of exclusive events at Sofitel properties worldwide, Sofitel Saigon Plaza, the paragon of French hospitality in Ho Chi Minh City, proudly inaugurated an extraordinary celebration of art.
On the evening of June 21st, the Sofitel Saigon Plaza was the scene of a glittering event, marking the launch of a collaboration with the internationally renowned French Pop Artist, Jérôme Peschard.
The hotel’s lobby served as an elegant backdrop for an array of Peschard’s stunning oil paintings on recycled corrugated metal, showcasing his inspiration from French Indochina.
The event attracted an illustrious group of attendees, including Mrs. Sarah Hooper, Consul General of Australia to Vietnam; Mr. Daniël Stork, Consul General of the Netherlands to Vietnam; Mrs. Milena Padula, spouse of Italian Consul General Enrico Padula; and Mrs. Lê Hạnh, CEO of TVHub Vietnam. Distinguished guests also included Michelin Starred Chef/Owner Peter Cong Franklin of Ănăn Saigon, totalling one hundred and thirty of Ho Chi Minh’s leading tastemakers.
Guests enjoyed a selection of exquisite canapés, fine wines, and champagne while admiring Peschard’s captivating works. Adding to the allure, music by DJ Edge Pamute filled the space, and trendsetters Tracie May and Nykky Domodelled custom-embroidered Áo Dài, the national costume of Vietnam, designed by Peschard and couturière Giao Basson. A pop-up retail store showcasing Peschard’s merchandise collection also opened to the public, featuring a curated selection of home decor, limited edition numbered and artist-signed lacquer replicas of paintings, and an array of gift items. Both the boutique and the art exhibit will grace the Sofitel Saigon Plaza throughout the summer, concluding in early September.
This premier event highlighted the vibrant intersection of art, culture, and gastronomy, celebrating a unique fusion that will enchant visitors throughout the season, encapsulating Sofitel Hotel and Resort’s world of prestige and luxury.
“I’m deeply grateful to Sofitel Saigon Plaza for granting me such a fantastic platform to showcase my art. Although I am French, my heart is Vietnamese, and I’m thrilled to share my homage to Vietnam with their guests and visitors during the 60th Anniversary celebration of Sofitel Hotels and Resorts.” – Jérôme Peschard
“Marking 60 years of exceptional hospitality, we take pride in being a part of a legacy that consistently sets the standard for excellence in Asia, providing a unique experience for all modern travellers to explore Ho Chi Minh City through a French-inspired perspective.” – Mario Mendis, GM, Sofitel Saigon Plaza
ABOUT SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA:
Sofitel Saigon Plaza harmonises the sophistication of French art de vivre with the vibrancy of local Vietnamese culture, delivering a luxury hospitality experience enriched by genuine heartfelt service. Conveniently located in a tranquil enclave on Le Duan Boulevard, Sofitel Saigon Plaza places you in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City’s business, cultural, and shopping district. The hotel boasts 286 rooms and suites adorned with refined décor and deluxe amenities, a fitness centre featuring advanced exercise equipment, and an outdoor swimming pool with breathtaking city views. Sofitel Saigon Plaza also features five dining establishments serving local and French cuisine, seven polished meeting rooms, and an opulent ballroom equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the ideal destination for business, leisure, meetings, and gatherings.
ABOUT JÉRÔME PESCHARD:
Dubbed the “Gauguin of Vietnam,” Jérôme Peschard is a self-taught artist whose work reflects a life richly lived and creatively charged. His art bridges the past with the present, blending East and West, while drawing profound inspiration from his adopted home of Vietnam. Characterised by the use of oil on rusted corrugated iron sheets salvaged from local construction sites, his pieces reflect the very essence of Saigon – its history, development, people, culture, and vibrant spirit. Peschard’s unique fusion of Western pop art with Asian influences, inspired by comic book legend Jack Kirby and modern art icons like Basquiat and Warhol, continues to evolve as he explores new themes in his storytelling. In the dynamic energy of Vietnam, Peschard not only found his place in the world, but also his distinctive artistic identity.
Join Us MidTown NYC for An Incredible Prosecco Experience: Taste and Discover with Wine Expert Alan Tardi Wed June 26th at New York Wine Studio
Join Us for An Incredible Prosecco Experience: Taste and Discover with Wine Expert Alan Tardi Wed June 26th at New York Wine Studio
Prosecco has gone from a little known mountain fizz to a vinous superhero, overtaking Champagne (and every other sparkling wine out there) and enjoyed by wine drinkers throughout the world, as the base of a cocktail or an everyday quaff.
But despite its huge popularity, most people don’t know much about it.
And there is much more to Prosecco than many people are aware.
”My objective is to
clarify the critical differences
between the original ancient Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco and
the DOC Prosecco that was enacted in 2010.”
Alan Tardi
New York Wine Studio
Prosecco is produced only in Italy, in the Northern regions of Veneto and Friuli, and there are three official Prosecco appellations.
Prosecco DOC
One of them, Prosecco DOC, was created in 2010. It occupies a huge, mostly flat area encompassing almost two entire regions and accounts for most of the 700+ million bottles of Prosecco produced each year.
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG is a tiny area in the foothills of the Dolomites consisting of 15 small municipalities in the province of Treviso. This is the ancient winegrowing area where Prosecco was born and made a miraculous comeback in the aftermath of World War II.
Besides its pedigree, there are numerous factors of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene enclave that distinguish it from any other winegrowing area in the world: complex and diverse topography, variety of soils, native grape varieties, distinct sub-areas, ancient history, and varied typology—bubbly, fizzy, and still; secondary fermentation in tank or in bottle, leaving sediment in the bottle (known as Ancestral Method) or removing it (Traditional Method).
In this class—which takes place right in the middle of National Prosecco DOC week—we will discuss the origin and evolution of Prosecco in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene area. We will also examine the two additional Prosecco appellations created in 2010.
But most of the time will be devoted to exploring and tasting Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco through a lineup of 8 exceptional terroir-driven wines, in a variety of styles, that demonstrate the unique characteristics, complexity, and diversity of the original Prosecco.
Participants will also learn how to say “CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE” like an Italian!
Alan Tardi has arranged a fantastic lineup of unusual and exceptional wines (half of them are coming directly from Italy) which demonstrate the various factors that characterize the complexity and uniqueness of Conegliano Valdobbiadene: Different production methods (“Tranquillo” i.e. still, Martinotti, Classico/Traditional, Ancestral); frizzante, spumante; single vineyards, Rive, native grape varieties; diverse, soils, terroirs and topographies.
List of Wines
- Prosecco Tranquillo DOCG “Il Canto Antico” — BORTOLOMIOL*
- Colli Trevigiani IGT Verdiso Frizzante Sui Lieviti — GREGOLETTO
- Progetto 5 Varietà Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut — MARCHIORI*
- Conegliano Prosecco Superiore DOCG Rive di Ogliano Extra-Brut — BIANCAVIGNA
- Superiore di Cartizze Brut DOCG — RUGGERI*
- Superiore di Cartizze DOCG “Private” Rifermentato in Bottiglia 2014 — BISOL
- Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Rive di Carpesica “S.C. 1931” Metodo Classico — BELLENDA*
- Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Asciutto, Rive di Colbertarldo, Vigneto Giardino — ADAMI
- Torchiato di Fregona Colli di Conegliano DOCG “Ciàcoe” 2016 — CA’ DI RAJO*
*Shipped directly from the winery in Italy
Find more information and buy tickets at New York Wine Studio or at the link below.
https://www.newyorkwinestudio.com/original-prosecco
Cocktail magic, competition, celebration: Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 at iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel
Cocktail magic, competition, celebration: Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 at iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel.
MC Petey Majik hosted the 2-day Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 June 14-15 celebrating with flavor, masterclasses, magic, competition. Tracie May captured it all.
Photos courtesy of Nick Middleton @glam.foodbev
A spectacular 2-day summer celebration, welcomed over 1000 cocktail enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike to the iconic Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel.
The vibrant cocktail carnival featured a dazzling array of over 130 cocktails from 36 premium global spirits, liqueurs and mixer brands.
A gathering of Vietnam’s top mixologists, innovative concoctions were expertly mixed by a combination of the country’s most respected bartenders and up-and-coming talents.
Cocktail Carnival part of Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024
At the heart of the festival was a showcase of Vietnam’s craftsmanship and creativity, where seasoned mixologists flexed their skills to craft tantalizing libations.
From classic cocktails with a Vietnamese twist to avant-garde creations pushing the boundaries of flavor, each drink was a testament to the artistry and innovation within Vietnam’s ever-growing cocktail scene.
For guests inspired to continue the cocktail adventure at home, Mercantile Vietnam provided the option for attendees to purchase a bottle of their favorite brand from the event and have it shipped directly to their door.
Entertainment Extravaganza
The event’s charismatic MC Petey Majik led the carnival atmosphere and captivated the audience with a spellbinding magic show accompanied by igniting cocktail flaring performances from the talented Chương and Phước.
On Friday, the stage was taken over with a charismatic live performance from Vietnam’s premier DJ and saxophone duo Omar and Pierre. The party continued Saturday with the contagious energy of DJ PIA.
Interactive Masterclasses and Exclusive Tasting Room
For spirits connoisseurs the festival also offered a wealth of knowledge with 4 optional interactive masterclasses hosted per day, where industry experts from Lady Triệu, Bruichladdich, Jose Cuervo, Highland Park and Lý Gia Viên shared their craft and insights with eager participants.
Luxury spirits aficionados could enhance their experience further and purchase tickets to enter the event’s Exclusive Room, featuring personalized tastings from 8 of the world’s super and ultra-premium brands, with a combined retail price of over 600 Million VND.
Competitive Spirit
One of the highlights of the festival was the highly anticipated Best Cocktail, Best Bartender and Best Brand Competitions with guests encouraged to vote for their favorites.
Bartenders from across the country battled it out for top honors.
With precision, flair, and a dash of showmanship, contestants dazzled spectators with their signature creations, showcasing the ingenuity and talent within Vietnam’s cocktail community.
On Saturday 15th June, the 2024 winners were announced: Mai Thanh Phong’s “Banh Mi Saigon” cocktail, made with Matusalem Rum, won Best Cocktail.
Nguyen Tuan Cuong, who works at Yugen Bar and is sponsored by Shanky’s Whip, was named Best Bartender. Also, Jägermeister was awarded Best Brand of the event.
Cultural Fusion
Beyond the cocktails themselves, the festival served as a social celebration of cultural fusion, from modern Vietnamese influences to global trends, the event highlighted the diverse tapestry of brands and the pioneering people shaping the country’s dynamic cocktail scene.
Vietnam’s Cocktail Revolution
As the final glasses were raised and the last drops were savored, the Vietnam Cocktail Festival 2024 left an indelible mark on the hearts and palates of all those who attended. With its vibrant energy, innovative spirit, and unwavering passion for mixology, the festival has undoubtedly cemented its place as a must-attend event on the global cocktail calendar, promising even more excitement and inspiration in the years to come.
Cheers to the next chapter of Vietnam’s cultural cocktail revolution!
Awards were announced on Saturday, June 15th, at 8 PM
Best Cocktail of the Event 2024
- Cocktail Name: Bánh Mì Sài Gòn
- Bartender Name: Mai Thanh Phong
- Brand Name: Matusalem Rum
- Bar Name: Madam Kew Bar
Best Bartender of the Event 2024
- Bartender’s Name: Nguyen Tuan Cuong
- Brand Name: Shanky’s Whip
- Bar Name: Yugen Bar
Best Brand of the Event 2024
- Brand Name: Jägermeister
Participating Brands:
- Large Exhibitors: Lady Triệu, Jose Cuervo, Cointreau
- Medium Exhibitors: Bushmills, Naked Malt, Kaibutsu, 1800, Campari, RCR Crystalleria Italiana.
- Small Exhibitors: Kurayoshi Matsui, Duncan taylor, Lark Distillery, Hangar 1 Vodka, Maestro Dobel, Bruichladdich Distillery Company, Passoa, The Botanist, No3 London Dry Gin, Dictador The Arthouse Spirit Brand, Colombian Gin, Stranger & Sons Gin, Fernet Branca, Espolon Tequila, Michter’s, Shanky’s Whip, Gran Centenario Tequila, Jägermeister, The Kyoto, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, Matusalem, Brookies Byron Gin, Ly Gia Vien, Torani, Fentimans, Mercantile.
Participating Bars (in collaboration with brands):
- Kraken x The Dot Bar
- Sexton x Dram Bar
- Wild Turkey x Lost Birds Bar
- Glenrothes x Firkin Bar
Master Classes: Lady Trieu, Bruichladich, Jose Cuervo, Ly Gia Vien, Highland Park
Photos courtesy of Nick Middleton @glam.foodbev
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Olivier Award-Winning LIFE OF PI Announces Broadway Cast
Olivier Award-Winning LIFE OF PI Announces Broadway Cast
Lolita Chakrabarti’s dazzling stage adaption of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel LIFE OF PI will premiere at Broadway’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) with three Olivier Award-winning performers making their Broadway debuts.
Recreating their critically acclaimed performances for Broadway will be “Best Actor” winner Hiran Abeysekera in the role of “Pi” and “Best Supporting Actor” winners Fred Davis and Scarlet Wilderink join the “Richard Parker” puppeteering team.
Recreating their critically acclaimed performances for Broadway
“Best Actor” winner Hiran Abeysekera in the role of “Pi”
and “Best Supporting Actor” winners Fred Davis
The Broadway production of the five-time Olivier Award-winning London production of LIFE OF PI will feature Brian Thomas Abraham as Cook/Voice of “Richard Parker,” Rajesh Bose as Father, Avery Glymph as Father Martin/Russian Sailor/Rear Admiral Jackson,
Mahira Kakkar as Nurse/Amma/Orange Juice, Kirstin Louie as Lulu Chen, Salma Qarnain as Mrs. Biology Kumar/Zaida Khan, Sathya Sridharan as Mamaji/Pandit-Ji, Daisuke Tsuji as Mr. Okamoto/Captain, Sonya Venugopal as Rani,
with Nikki Calonge, Fred Davis, Rowan Ian Seamus Magee, Jonathan David Martin, Betsy Rosen, Celia Mei Rubin, Scarlet Wilderink and Andrew Wilson as Royal Bengal tiger “Richard Parker.”
Mahnaz Damania, Jon Hoche, Usman Ali Mughal, Uma Paranjpe and David Shih round out the 24-member cast with Adi Dixit as the “Pi” alternate.
LIFE OF PI begins performances Thursday, March 9, 2023, and opens Thursday, March 30, 2023. Prior to the Broadway engagement, LIFE OF PI made its North American Premiere at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University.
LIFE OF PI is directed by Max Webster, with Set and Costume design by Olivier Award winner Tim Hatley, Puppetry and Movement Direction by Olivier Award winner Finn Caldwell, Puppet Design by Olivier Award winners Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Video Design by Olivier Award winner Andrzej Goulding, Lighting Design by Olivier Award winner Tim Lutkin, Sound Design by Carolyn Downing, Original Music by Andrew T Mackay, Dramaturgy by Jack Bradley, Wig Design by David Brian Brown, and Casting by Stewart/Whitley.
Based on one of the best-loved works of fiction – winner of the Man Booker Prize, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide – LIFE OF PI is a breath-taking new theatrical adaptation of an epic journey of endurance and hope.
After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, a sixteen-year-old boy name Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive?
Tickets for LIFE OF PI on Broadway are available at Telecharge.com (212.239.6200) and at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre box office and range from $49 – $199 (including $2 facility fee).
The playing schedule for LIFE OF PI is as follows: Tuesday through Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Please note there will be no 2pm performance on Wednesday, March 15, and March 22. Beginning Tuesday, April 4, 2023, the LIFE OF PI performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30pm, and Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm, and Sunday at 3pm.
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Spain’s Penin Guide Wine Best! Taste of the Podium XIII offers Penin Guide 2023 Tasting at City Winery NYC
Taste of the Podium XIII offers Penin Guide 2023 Tasting at City Winery NYC
It was a proud day for Spain’s Penin Guide as they’re showcasing hundreds of their best wines for NYC’s wine and food elite: sommeliers, wine shop retail and wine critics.
What makes it extra special is their afternoon ‘Taste of the Podium XIII’ tasting where a select group will receive the privilege of a hosted tasting through the Penin Guide 2023 highest rated wines moderated by.
For those who haven’t experienced an A.J. Ojeda – Pons led tasting, it’s incredible and highly-recommended. Try your best to attend his future event.
What is the Penin Guide?
First published in 1990 under the name of Vinos y Bodegas de España, and edited by José Peñín, the current honorary president of the company.
The Peñín Guide to Spanish wines is the most comprehensive Spanish wine guide in the world.
With editions in Spanish, English, German and Chinese, it is the most widely used tool for amateurs and professionals to make purchasing decisions on Spanish wine.
It’s a must-have resource for restaurants, wine shops and critics.
What is Penin Guide’s Taste of the Podium
To make it even clearer, at City Winery NYC we’re tasting through wines that achieved Penin Guide’s highest marks of 2023.
What we’re about to taste with the Taste of the Podium event, is the best of the best. Wines rated 95 points or more in the new edition of the guide, known as “Podium” wines of the Penin Guide.
If your restaurant serves Spanish wines, your shop sells Spanish wines, or you write about Spanish wines, you want to be at this overall event and squeeze in to this afternoon’s Podium tasting.
A.J. Ojeda – Pons Doesn’t Disappoint
From the moment AJ walks in the room, the energy changes. He’s excited. He knows what we’re tasting today and he’s eager to share and get reactions.
Pere Ventura Grand Vintage Paraje Calificada Can Bas 2015 BE GR BR Cava
Creamy smooth palate with lemon and ripe melon flavors balanced by toasty character. Elegant and persistent.
Lalomba Finca Valhonta 2018 Rioja Tempranillo
Deep purple in the glass. On the nose, blueberry, black berry, black currant. A seductive ripe round mouthful, complex and persistent. It fills your heart with young romance. Good structure, good body, medium finish.
Por los Cien 2018 T Bodegas Fos Rioja Tempranillo
Bright medium ruby in the glass with gentle hints of garnet around the rim. An orchestra of blackberry, plums, violet that ”sings” with aroma if you’re listening. Gorgeous. Evolving into spice, cedar, black pepper, balsamic. Complicated and expressive, with body, medium tannin and a lingering finish. Food pairings back for stews, spicy dishes, blue cheese gamey meats.
San Vicente 2018 T BA Senorio de San Vicente Rioja Tempranillo
Inky deep purple in the glass. A powerful gush of blackberry, blueberry, black plum. It fills your mouth with a then velvet layer of liquorice, oak, cherry cola, tobacco, chocolate. Full body with a long, confident finish. Pairs well with manchego, a hefty burger, well-seasoned roasted lamb.
Baron de Chirel 2017 T Bodegas de los Herederos del Marques de Riscol; Rioja Tempranillo
Medium ruby in the glass. Pronounced aromas of black currant, black plum almost reach out and kiss you. In your mouth it’s deep, dense and full. Graphite, minerality, mushroom, earth. Full body. Medium tannin that seems to keep growing. A finish that keeps lingering. Pair with ribeye, bbq.
Grans Muralles 2018 T R Familia Torres Conca De Barbera Garnacha carinena querol monastree garro
Medium ruby in the glass. Black berry, black currant, raspberry on the nose. Black plum, chocolate, tobacco, building to a complex, medium tannin, slight oak, full body.
Victorino 2019 T Teso la Monja Toro Tino de Toro
Deep, inky purple in the glass. Pronounced nose of black currant, black plum, rip fruit, black pepper. The mouth is velvety and full-bodied, medium tannin, raspberry, cloves, chocolate The finish was smooth and lingering.
Abadia Retuerta Pago Negralada 2016 T BA Abadia Retuerta Pago Abadia Retuerta Tempranillo
Deep ruby in the glass. Pronounced red currant, fresh berry on the nose. Medium body, medium tannin with a balanced ensemble of vanilla, clove, cedar with a slight pastry hint.
Jorge Ordonez & Co No 2 Victoria Dulce (sin fortificar) 2021nB D Jorge Ordonez Malaga Y Sierra de Malaga Moscate
The nose is gorgeous with white peaches, pineapple, gooseberries and green apples, orange peel, honey. A decadent, sensual mouth keeps building with honey, caramel, candied apple, and cantaloupe. Plush, full–bodied, medium acid, hint of bitter altogether brinds balance.
Doc Cortados 20 Anos BF PC S Bodegas Williams & Humbert Jerez Palominno
Medium amber in the glass. Nose of fig, dried fruit. Medium body with churned butter, caramel, toasted almonds, butter, vanilla, baking spice with a medium finish that lingered just long enough.
An excellent showing by Spain’s Penin Guide and truly a showcase of their Taste of the Podium
Speaking of well-balanced, our leader A.J. Ojeda – Pons did an excellent job of sharing knowledge, balancing but never overpowering some formidable flavors, keeping the conversation light, but intriguing and pacing our short time quite well. Not too hurried, but never lagging.
Kudos and cheers to Mr. Ojeda – Pons and the entire Penin team. Thank you Morgan Perry and Sicily Cronin.
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DOC NYC ANNOUNCES JURY AWARDS FOR 2023; Big Winners Mediha, Total Trust
DOC NYC ANNOUNCES JURY AWARDS FOR 2023
DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, revealed the 2023 award winners for its juried U.S. Competition, International Competition, Metropolis, Kaleidoscope, Shorts, Short List: Features, and Short List: Shorts sections, as well as the #MyJustice Film Award (complete list below). The festival’s Audience Award winner will be announced in the coming days.
The awards announcement comes on the eve of the closing night of the festival’s hybrid 14th edition. DOC NYC’s online screenings run through November 26, with some 90 features available to stream across the United States, including eight of the festival’s award-winners and more than 100 of the festival’s short films, including all six shorts award-winners. Many of the award winners also have in-person screenings in the final two days of the festival.
For a full schedule of available films, see www.docnyc.net. Ticket and pass information is below.
For DOC NYC’s competitive sections, five juries selected films from the festival’s U.S. Competition, International Competition, and Kaleidoscope sections, as well as its long-running Metropolis and Shorts lineups, to recognize for their outstanding achievements in form and content. The Short List: Features program—a selection of nonfiction films that the festival’s programming team considers to be among the year’s strongest contenders for Oscars and other awards—vied for awards in five categories: Directing, Producing, Cinematography, Editing, and Score, with a Directing prize also awarded in the Short List: Shorts section. The Short List awards were voted on by two juries of filmmaker peers. New for 2023, the DOC NYC U film student screenings were restyled as a competition.
JURIED AWARDS, FEATURE FILMS
U.S. Competition: The jury selected from among 10 new American nonfiction films in this section.
Grand Jury Prize: Mediha, directed by Hasan Oswald and produced by Hasan Oswald, Annelise Mecca, Fahrinisa Campana, Alexander Spiess, and Stephen Nemeth. (World Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Mediha is a person and a film that you will think about long after it ends. Hasan Oswald’s portrait of Mediha, one of many women and children survivors of the ISIS orchestrated genocide against the Yazidis, is a truly collaborative project in which Mediha tells her own harrowing story, and finds her own activist voice in the process. The film shines a light on the trauma of war and the difficult struggle to overcome it, while exploring the psychological complications of captivity of these women and children. This extremely careful and nuanced portrait of the experience of different generations of women resonated deeply with us. We are proud to give the U.S. Competition Grand Jury Prize to Mediha, and we sincerely congratulate the talent and courage of the team in bringing this story to the world.”
Available online through November 26.
Special Mention: Happy Campers, directed/produced by Amy Nicholson. (World Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Amy Nicholson’s Happy Campers is a truly cinematic film with a strong directorial sensibility and a genuine auteur’s stamp that celebrates, mourns, and memorializes a beloved working-class seaside refuge about to undergo redevelopment. The film beautifully captures the life, spirit, and charm of the Inlet View Campground. The U.S. Jury chose it for special mention as the film is a genuine delight to watch in today’s turbulent times.”
Available online through November 26.
Jurors: Violet du Feng (Emmy-winning filmmaker), Meredith Kaulfers (EVP of Current Production, Imagine Documentaries), David Winn (Head of the News & Documentary Emmy Awards)
Films featured in the U.S. Competition section: 36 Seconds: Portrait of a Hate Crime, The Cowboy and the Queen, Happy Campers, How to Come Alive With Norman Mailer, Mediha, Obsessed With Light, The Riot Report, Shaken, Taking Venice, and Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow.
International Competition: The jury selected from among 10 new international productions in this section.
Grand Jury Prize: Total Trust, directed by Jialing Zhang, produced by Knut Jäger, Michael Grotenhoff, Saskia Kress, Jialing Zhang. (U.S. Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Courageously told with spectacular access, Total Trust speaks to power in its story of the stifling effect that Chinese government surveillance has on its citizens–while also highlighting the voices of resistance. Though the film provides a wealth of new insight into the regime’s policies, the judges were even more captivated by its use of character and emotionally rich scenes to reveal the human consequences of surveillance society. They commended its delicate balancing of the personal and political, notably contrasted in the claustrophobic sense conveyed in the small spaces occupied by its characters and wide shots capturing the massive spectacle of state displays. This is a film that not only explores government’s monitoring as an issue, it skillfully demonstrates its repercussions, particularly on the children who will inherit its legacy. Citing its bravery and artistry, the judges bestow Total Trust with this year’s International Jury Award.”
Available online through November 26.
Special Mention: Al Djanat – The Original Paradise, directed by Chloé Aïcha Boro, produced by Frédéric Féraud, Aïcha Boro, and Faissol Gnonlonfin. (U.S. Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Beautifully crafted and edited, Al Djanat – The Original Paradise, follows filmmaker Chloé Aïcha Boro as she returns to her homeland, Burkina Faso, after the death of her uncle. The judges praised Boro’s engaging and seamless tracing of conflicts—family, political and philosophical–in a story that’s both specific and personal yet deeply universal.”
Available online through November 26
Jurors: Michael Graversen (filmmaker), Ruchi Mital (producer and founder of Solani Media), David Siev (filmmaker).
Films featured in the International Competition section: Al Djanat – The Original Paradise, The Caravan, Dalton’s Dream, Dancing On The Edge Of A Volcano, The Dmitriev Affair, The Home Game, Le Spectre de Boko Haram, Neirud, Someone Lives Here, and Total Trust.
Metropolis: The jury selected from among eight films in this section, which is dedicated to stories about New Yorkers and New York City.
Grand Jury Prize: Lucha: A Wrestling Tale, directed/produced by Marco Ricci. (World Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “The story of four members of the Taft High School women’s wrestling team, the Bronx-set Lucha: A Wrestling Tale landed the Metropolis Award for its compelling characters, sense of community, and intimate, but not imposing, approach to the verite style. The judges were especially impressed with the way the film doesn’t shy from the difficult realities faced by the young women, who are allowed to struggle and show their flaws – making them more powerful. Director Marco Ricci follows the story over the course of three years, which allows us to witness the characters’ growth and change, but we never sense intrusiveness, as the film instead bravely lets its moments play out, even the toughest ones.”
Available online through Sunday, November 26.
Jurors: Giselle “Hush” Bailey (filmmaker), Julia Solomonoff (filmmaker and chair of NYU Tisch Grad Film), Amanda Spain (VP of Longform Acquisitions, MSNBC Films).
Films featured in the Metropolis section: Ashima, Confessions of a Good Samaritan, Diversity Plaza, Holding Back The Tide, Lucha: A Wrestling Tale, Nathan-ism, Psychedelicized: The Electric Circus Story, and Scooter Laforge: a life of art.
Kaleidoscope: The jury selected from among five films in this section, which showcases essayistic and formally adventurous documentaries.
Grand Jury Prize: Zinzindurrunkarratz, directed/produced by Oskar Alegria. (New York Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “In Oskar Alegria’s dreamlike documentary Zinzindurrunkarratz (a brilliant onomatopoeia word) we journey with the filmmaker through a Basque countryside that is transformed into a metaphysical landscape as he attempts to retrieve memories using an old camera. Alegria encourages us to contemplate the distinct dichotomies between past and present, rural and urban, haptic and cerebral. In this way, the film comes together somewhere amidst Alegria’s mind, the screen and our consciousness. In the process, we find ourselves in an ecstatic awareness of the way that silence, sound and image can be together and apart, always transforming. Both entrancing and poignant, Zinzindurrunkarratz made us ponder what constitutes a film, and closely observe our perception. For all of these reasons, we recognize it as the winning Kaleidoscope film at 2023 DOC NYC.”
Available online through November 26.
Jurors: Irena Kovarova (film programmer, producer and writer); José F. Rodriguez (senior film programmer, Tribeca Festival), Lynne Sachs (filmmaker and poet).
Films featured in the Kaleidoscope section: Grasshopper Republic, Megaheartz, The Walk, A Wolfpack Called Ernesto, and Zinzindurrunkarratz.
SHORT LIST: FEATURES AWARDS
DOC NYC’s Short List for Features puts the spotlight on 15 documentaries representing the best of the year.
Directing Award: While We Watched, directed by Vinay Shukla.
Jurors’ statement: “This superbly crafted story of a broadcast journalist in India who is battling a tide of disinformation uses intimate cinematography to drive a gripping dramatic tension. The story is local and yet completely universal. As the film progresses we are reminded that struggles for freedom and protection of truth are occurring all around the world. For its elegant yet painfully perceptive storytelling, the Directing Award goes to While We Watched.”
Available online through November 26.
Producing Award: While We Watched, produced by Vinay Shukla, Khushboo Ranka, and Luke Moody.
Jurors’ statement: “This film seeks the truth behind the veil of politicized ethics, ideology and propaganda. Against the backdrop of a crumbling newsroom, we witness exceptional courage and perseverance day after day. Despite death threats and condemnation, we find a vulnerable and beautiful vision that holds both craft and story close. The Producing Award is presented to While We Watched.”
Available online through November 26.
Editing Award: Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, edited by Terra Long and Lawrence Jackman.
Jurors’ statement: “To bring the life, times and work of a fearless American original to the big screen, it takes a rich, deep and wild visual language. The unfettered imagination on display in this film’s editing beautifully evokes the vision of the woman at its heart. The Editing Award goes to Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.
Cinematography Award: The Mother of All Lies, cinematography by Hatem Nechi.
Jurors’ statement: “Shooting a tightly focused personal film about a family is difficult; capturing big political events in a compelling way is just as demanding. But when long-ago public crimes poison the home life of three generations, making the connection visible is a virtuoso achievement. For the evocative image-making—of faces, of memories, of re-created, revised and rebuilt history—that makes the political vividly personal, the Cinematography Award goes to The Mother of All Lies.”
Available online through November 26.
Score Award: The Eternal Memory, music by Miguel Miranda and José Miguel Tobar.
Jurors’ statement: “The heart-piercing and unforgettable score for The Eternal Memory exhibits the type of playful togetherness we imagine is at the core of all eternal romances. As we journey through this world, the score is one continuous movement and an expressive thread, crafted with intimacy and delicate respect.”
Special Mention for Editing: The Disappearance of Shere Hite, edited by Eileen Meyer.
Jurors’ statement: “This film weaves together a cinematic tapestry that is as elegant as its protagonist. The result is an immersive story that reveals the true story of a woman the patriarchy tried to erase. For its lyrical creativity, a special mention for editing is presented to The Disappearance of Shere Hite.”
Jurors: Su Kim (producer), Mary Manhardt (editor, professor and consultant), Dawn Porter (filmmaker and founder of Trilogy Films).
SHORT FILM AWARDS
Shorts Competition: All new short films playing at the festival were eligible for the Shorts Grand Jury Prize, with the exception of DOC NYC U showcases and Short List: Shorts selections.
Grand Jury Prize: Mountain Man, directed/produced by Arun Bhattarai. (North American Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “The beautifully crafted, observational Mountain Man impressed the jury with its intimate and almost fable-like story of a glaciologist in Bhutan who regularly leaves his family behind to trek into the country’s sacred mountains to measure the rapidly melting glaciers. With a subtle approach, and an inter-generational lens to this one family’s tale, the jury noted how filmmaker Arun Bhattarai thoughtfully brings the audience a story about climate change and our global interconnectedness to this urgent issue.”
The 2023 winning Short film qualifies for consideration in the Documentary Short Subject category of the annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run (provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules).
Special Mention: When a Rocket Sits on the Launch Pad, directed by Bohao Liu, produced by Bohao Liu and Gene Gallerano. (NYC Premiere)
Jurors’ statement: “Exquisitely shot and artistically styled, When A Rocket Sits On The Launch Pad earned the judges’ admiration for its insightful depiction of the hurdles and challenges that Chinese culture places in front of a typical teenage girl.”
Mountain Man screens online as part of the Shorts: Our Climate/Our Crisis program; When a Rocket Sits on the Launch Pad screens online as part of the Shorts: Changing Tides program; both are available through November 26.
Jurors: Aurora Brachman (director/cinematographer), Nick Canfield (filmmaker), Debra McClutchy (filmmaker and archival producer).
Short List: Shorts: DOC NYC’s Short List for Shorts highlights 15 documentary shorts that the festival’s programming team considers the year’s leading awards contenders.
Directing Award: Ayenda, directed by Marie Margolius, produced by Marie Margolius and Connor Schell.
Jurors’ statement: “Thrilling but never sensationalized, Ayenda traces the story of the members of a girls soccer team who flee their home country of Afghanistan—and the Taliban—to continue their pursuit of the sport. The judges praised the filmmaking as elegantly observed and empathetic, commending director Marie Margolius for the intimacy achieved in her interviews, as well as their cinematic execution. The danger feels imminent, and the action unspools humanely, a credit to both the artistry and directive of Margolius and her team in crafting an honest testament to the girls’ bravery.”
Available online in the Shortlist Shorts: New Beginnings program, through November 26.
Jurors: Mark Becker (director, story consultant and editor), Katja Esson (filmmaker), Tyler Walk (editor).
DOC NYC U Competition. DOC NYC U features ten short documentaries from students across the five boroughs. Restyled as a competition for the first time this year, this year’s program featured finalists from Brooklyn College, Columbia University, Hunter College, The New School, New York Film Academy, Pratt Institute, and the School of Visual Arts.
This year’s inaugural competition was adjudicated by veteran documentary and TV series director and producer R.J. Cutler, founder of This Machine.
DOC NYC U Award: I Told You So, directed by Malak AlSayyad and Amaan Stewart, produced by Malak AlSayyad, Amaan Stewart, and Loren Townsley. (Columbia University)
R.J. Cutler’s statement on the selection of I Told You So for the DOC NYC U Award: “For its deep empathy, its boldly personal yet universal honesty, and its unleashing of the power of cinema verite storytelling.”
Available online in the Shorts: DOC NYC U – Portraits program, through November 26.
Special Mention: It Smells Like Springtime, directed/produced by Mackie Mallison. (Pratt Institute)
R.J. Cutler’s statement on the special mention for It Smells Like Springtime: “For its poetic cinematic power, as well as its stunning use of visual and aural landscapes.”
Available online in the Shorts: DOC NYC U – Rebirth program, through November 26.
Subject Matter: DOC NYC partnered with Subject Matter to present a $20,000 grant from Subject Matter to 36 Seconds: Portrait of a Hate Crime, directed by Tarek Albaba, to support the film’s audience outreach and impact efforts, along with a corresponding grant of $20,000 to Our Three Winners, a nonprofit organization that is addressing the topics featured in the film. DOC NYC audience members joined Subject Matter in supporting Our Three Winners with over $4,000 in donations at the world premiere of the film.
#MyJustice: DOC NYC partnered with Odyssey Impact® to present the #MyJustice Film Award to Breaking Silence, directed by Amy Bench and Annie Silverstein, and produced by Amy Bench and Monique Walton. The award comes with a $10,000 cash prize and an Odyssey Impact National Social Impact Campaign, and is made possible with generous support from Paramount/Content for Change Academy.
Odyssey Impact® Statement: “For a female-directed, short documentary
giving viewers, by way of a healed relationship between a deaf father and hearing daughter, a unique insight into the incarcerated deaf community and an inspiring father’s quest to help others and reunite his family. The film reverberates with kindness and compassion that drive towards advocacy for the communication challenges faced by prisoners with hearing disabilities, gives hopeful opportunities for prison reform and healing for families and people carrying unresolved trauma. Breaking Silence’s urgent and uplifting delivery earned it top prize this year for a stand out social justice film with a clear call to action to inspire change.“Breaking Silence” is available online in the Shorts: Inside and Out program, through November 26.
TICKETS AND PASSES
Festival tickets and passes may be purchased at docnyc.net/tickets-and-passes.In-person Screenings:
Closing Night (South to Black Power) screening: $30 General Public/$25 IFC Center Members
Other festival films: $20 General Admission/$18 Seniors & Children/$16 IFC Center Members, unless otherwise noted.
All screenings in the Short List: Features, Short List: Shorts, and DOC NYC U sections, as well as all Monday-Friday screenings starting before 5:00pm: $13 General Admission/$10 IFC Center members
Online screenings:
$13 General Public/$9 IFC Center MembersPasses and Ticket Packs:
Online Film Pass $250
Grants access to all the films screening on the festival’s virtual platform, November 8-26.Online Shorts Pass $49
Grants access to all short films screening on the festival’s virtual platform, November 8-26. On sale November 1.Five-Ticket Package for Online Screenings $50
Ten-Ticket Package for Online Screenings $90
A package of 5 or 10 online tickets at a special discount price.DOC NYC PRO Day Pass $125
Grants access to a single DOC NYC PRO day-long programming track, plus complimentary access, space permitting, to the Festival Lounge for that day, including the day’s Breakfast and Happy Hour.SPONSORS
The festival is made possible by:
Leading Media Partners: New York Magazine; The WNET Group
Major Sponsors: A&E IndieFilms; HBO Documentary Films; Netflix
Supporting Sponsors: National Geographic Documentary Films
Signature Sponsors: 11th Hour Racing; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Consulate General of Canada in New York; Frankfurt Kurnit; Hulu; NBC News Studios; National Geographic; NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment; Participant
Signature Media Partners: The New Republic; WNYC
Event Sponsors: Amazon MGM Studios; Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP; 30 for 30 / ESPN Films; Fox Rothschild LLP; Impact Partners; JustFilms | Ford Foundation; Kickstarter PBC; MTV Documentary Films; Odyssey Impact®; Portrait Creative Network; Prestige Custom Awards; Reavis Page Jump LLP; Screen Nova Scotia; Subject Matter; SVA – MFA Social Documentary Film; Telefilm Canada; Village East by Angelika; Wheelhouse Creative
Friends of the Festival: Agile Ticketing; CineSend; DCTV; Fever Content; Posteritati; Ptex; Shiftboard
DOC NYC is produced and presented by IFC Center, a division of AMC Networks.
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