The Accademia del Caffè Espresso premieres The Rise of Espresso, a documentary that celebrates the Italian immigrants who helped turn espresso into a worldwide phenomenon.
BY EMILY JOY MENESES
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Photos courtesy of Giada Biondi
On September 24, Accademia del Caffè Espresso, La Marzocco’s cultural center based in Florence, Italy, debuted its brand new film, The Rise of Espresso, produced by Guido Bernardinelli and directed by Enrico Ventrice. The premiere took place at the Italian Film Festival in Melbourne, Australia. Another screening will follow in Sydney on October 1 in celebration of International Coffee Day. Australia has a rich history of Italian migration, making Melbourne and Sydney significant cities to debut the film.
Discovering the Origins of Espresso
The Rise of Espresso traces the origins, evolution, and cultural impact of espresso, capturing excellence and innovation. It tells the story of the Italian immigrants who grew espresso from an Italian tradition into a worldwide phenomenon. Through their film, Guido and Enrico aim to educate viewers about the years of dedication and cultural legacy poured into what we know espresso to be today. Most of all, the film seeks to credit the people who migrated from Italy to North America and helped make the global expansion of espresso possible.
“When I was approached to make a documentary about espresso culture, which has spread around the world thanks to Italian migrants, I was very excited. At that time I was writing a documentary about my grandfather, a migrant himself and a barista for 40 years,” states Enrico. “I spent the first years of my life in his coffee bar. … In many of the people in this documentary, I see glimpses of my grandfather: in their resourcefulness, initiative, creativity, passion, and self-sacrifice. All for a cup of coffee! … I feel honored to have taken part in such a beautiful project, and I am convinced that my grandfather Raffaele, who passed away just days before Accademia Del Caffè Espresso contacted me, somehow made this possible.”
Coffee & Migration
This project is a continuation of the Accademia’s “Coffee Migrant | Migrant Coffee – Chapter I” exhibition, which is currently on display in Florence. Through this exhibition, viewers can learn about the migration of more than 1 million Italians to Brazil between the 19th and 20th centuries. In 2025, a second chapter of the exhibition, “Coffee Migrant | Migrant Coffee – Chapter II,” will open in Florence, illustrating the further migration of Italians to Australia, Canada, and the United States, and elaborating on the stories told through The Rise of Espresso. A “Chapter III” exhibition will also be released in the future, with a focus on contemporary coffee communities and customs around the world.
The Accademia plans to screen The Rise of Espresso at cultural events and celebrations around the world, and it will soon be made available in Italy. You can learn more about the documentary here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Joy Meneses (she/they) is a writer and musician based in Los Angeles. Her hobbies include foraging, cortados, vintage synths, and connecting with her Filipino roots through music, art, food, and beverage.
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