BAR TALKS BY SCHUMANN (2018) Kino Fest 2018

Excellent portrait of, and road trip with, Charles Schumann the legendary barman, restaurateur, author and lover of cocktails. We tag along as Schumann travels around the world talking to barmen and women and samples their wares. Along the way we get a charming portrait of the man, his life and the history of drinking.

I don't drink and to say that Marieke Schroeder has made a film that makes me want to go out and drink says a great deal. This film will drawn you in and make you want to get out and go have a good time in a bar somewhere. It is a stunning call for people to do more than be on there cellphones and instead be out and interacting.

Of course when you have someone like Charles Schumann leading the way who knows what is going to happen. He seems to know the most interesting people and he knows how to get them to talk, often by not saying a damn thing. I was enraptured. I loved to listen to everything that anyone had to say. I was especially delighted in the many little stray comments that came off everyone's lips proving that in real life people really can be witty.

What an absolute delight.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves good conversation about food and drink, mostly drink. BAR TALKS is one of my great finds of 2018 and is a must if you've tired of endless action films.

BAR TALKS BY SCHUMANN plays at Kino on April 7th (with director Marieke Schroeder and the man himself doing a Q&A) and April 10th. For more information and tickets go here.