The Ceres Food Film Festival (Ceres) returns for its 9th season with an expanded multi-day program across New York City. Ceres is a global platform that uses the power of food-focused films to spark connection, deepen awareness, and motivate action around what, how, and why we eat.

🎟️ All events below are included in your all-day ticket ($40, early bird $35)

Quick Glance – Saturday @ Posh

11:30 am–12:45 pm: Sweet Störy (Feature, 75 min)
1:00–2:05 pm: Umi No Oya (Feature, 61 min) + Welcome Lunch
2:00 pm: Ceres Food Market Opens
2:30–3:30 pm: Shorts Block #3 – Hidden Stories, ESI, Grain City, Brewtopia + Q&A
3:35–4:35 pm: Shorts Block #4 – 4DWN, Hard to Swallow + Q&A
4:45–5:55 pm: Future of Food Media | Screening + Conversation with Priyanka Naik, Chris Morocco & Jaeki Cho, moderated by Gabriella Lewis
6:00–6:45 pm: Happy Hour
6:45–7:55 pm: For the Love of Craft Film Series – Cultured, One of a Kind, The Sardine Roaster, What Remains, The Making of Hana Makgeolli
7:45–8:05 pm: Filmmaker Q&A with Hana Makgeolli teams
8:10–8:40 pm: Gina Bruno interview with Alice Jun
8:40–10:30 pm: After Party

In Detail

11:30 am-12:45 pm: Sweet Störy (Feature, 75 min | United States/Sweden)

We kick off with Sweet Störy (dir. Sarah Justine Kerruish & Matt Maude), an intimate yet universal story of a Bay Area confectioner whose journey reveals the sweet connections between craft, perseverance, and community.

1:00-2:05 pm: Umi No Oya (Feature, 61 min | Japan, France) + Welcome Lunch

Japanese fishermen navigate tradition and modernity in their relationship with the sea (dir. Ewen Chardronnet, Maya Minder).
Followed by a Welcome Lunch in the Posh kitchen.

2:00-4:30 pm: Food Market & Tastings

Explore a mix of small bites, demos, and food projects that connect taste and storytelling:

The Chocolate Room: Handcrafted truffles
Faina: Chickpea bread tastings
Beanstory: Beans with a focus on flavor and story
Challah by Hannah: Fresh challah slices
GUS Mushrooms: Live mushroom cooking demo
Off Menu Magazine: Independent food magazine to browse
Produce Parties: Print publication & food culture project
Natoora: Produce demo & tasting
Farm to People: Local food sourcing & education

2:30-3:30 pm: Shorts Program | City Stories

Food in unexpected places, from city streets to forest paths.

Hidden Stories: Foraged and Found (11 min | United States) – Dir. David Allen Liu
ESI (6 min | United Kingdom) – Dir. Victor Frankowski
Grain City (24 min | United Kingdom) – Dir. Brett Chapman
Brewtopia (5 min | United States) – Dir. Tati Nguyen
🎤 Followed by Q&A

3:30-4:30 pm: Shorts Program | Roots

On resilience and resistance; from a Dallas skatepark turned community anchor to Nigerian chef Tunde Wey’s searing critique of global inequities.

Hard to Swallow (28 min | United States) – Dir. Tunde Wey
4DWN (17 min | United States) – Dir. Danny J Schmidt
🎤 Followed by Q&A

4:45-6:00 pm: Future of Food Media | On-Screen Shorts + Conversation

A dynamic panel exploring how digital platforms are reshaping food storytelling - from recipes and test kitchens to streaming.

Priyanka Naik - Vegan chef, bestselling cookbook author, and Food Network champion known for her inventive plant-based recipes.
Chris Morocco - Test Kitchen Director at Bon Appétit, renowned for his recipe development and video series that blend rigor with personality.
Jaeki Cho - Media entrepreneur and host of Righteous Eats, spotlighting immigrant and BIPOC food culture across NYC.

Moderated by Gabriella Lewis (food journalist and cultural critic)
Intro by Maayan Laufer, Festival Director, Ceres

🍷 Happy Hour in the Kitchen with snacks and drinks by Dio.

6:45-8:30 pm: For the Love of Craft | Closing Film Series

Short films on beer, wine, fermentation, and grains, followed by a conversation with Gina Bruno (Campers) on craft and community:

Cultured (10 min | United States) – Dir. Stephanie Roush
The Sardine Roaster (15 min | Spain) – Dir. Adrián Ordóñez
One of a Kind (8 min | Belgium) – Dir. Jonas Buysens
The Making of Hana Makgeolli (9 min | United States) – Dirs. Chad Santo Tomas, Claudine Cho & Esther Chan
What Remains (10 min | Spain) – Dirs. Dries Vanherwegen & Rosie Zopfi

8:30-10:30 pm: After Party

Stay to chat and mingle.