Smell the Coffee

Filmmakers Marc and Nick Francis juxtapose dirt-poor Ethiopian coffee farmers with wide-eyed American Starbucks managers in Black Gold, a stinging documentary about global java production. Its message hits like a steaming cup of espresso: African coffee harvesters can’t afford clean water or schools for their kids, while Wall Street traders set crops at ridiculously low prices. The directors take their cameras to green fields, dusty warehouses, and a barista competition to make their point. Best scene: An Ethiopian co-op rep futilely scans a U.K. supermarket shelf stocked with every type of coffee imaginable, yet he still can’t find one produced in his country. The movie will make you think twice before ordering your morning Caffé Latte.
Fri., Jan. 12, 7:50 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 14, 3:30 p.m.