WATCH: How Coffee Tourism in Costa Rica is Transforming Lives
Coffee is the lifeblood of many small towns dotted throughout the coffee-growing regions of Costa Rica. So what happened when all the men left the town of Biolley in the Talamanca Mountains region? The women came together to imagine a different future for themselves, their families, and their community by building their own coffee mill, Asomobi. They are the first women’s run micro-mill in their country.
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Overlooking Costa Rica’s Talamanca Mountains (Photo: Courtesy of “A Small Section of the World”)
A new documentary directed by Lesley Chilcott, the award-winning producer of “An Inconvenient Truth” follows the impact of the project and shows how these resourceful women overcame adversity to change the culture within their small section of the world. The film, “A Small Section of the World” is about women’s empowerment, the risky business of coffee, and how a cup of Joe can transform lives. It will be premiering in San Jose, Costa Rica on Nov. 4 and also playing at DocNYC Film Festival in NYC on Nov. 14. It opens Dec. 5 in Los Angeles at the Arclight Theatre.
Related: On a Caffeine High: a Biking Tour of Vienna’s Coffee Houses
Sorting coffee beans in Costa Rica (Photo: Courtesy of “A Small Section of the World”)
Coffee isn’t just big business in Costa Rica, so is coffee tourism. Thousands visit the Talamanca Mountains region —where the film takes place — and the nearby La Amistad International Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tours of the women’s Asomobi coffee bean mill are also available.
Related: Nature Meets Nurture in Costa Rica
A view of Costa Rica’s Talamanca Mountains (Photo: Courtesy of “A Small Section of the World”)
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