Private Project

Brewer

Brewer is a short documentary juxtaposing poetic visuals of the craft beer brewing process with the reflections of underrepresented brewers confronting bias in their industrial work environment.

  • Erika Valenciana
    Director
    Broken Flight, La Mitad del Mundo
  • Anuradha Rana
    Producer
    Musher
  • Magdalena Hernandez
    Editor
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Brewer
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 38 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 22, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Erika Valenciana

Erika Valenciana is a Chicana filmmaker from Chicago with a Film & Video BA from Columbia College Chicago. Her award-winning short films have screened at festivals internationally, including Blackstar and Mountainfilm. Her recent recognition includes winner of Chicago International Film Festival’s Fiction Feature Pitch, Jury & Audience winner Best Doc Short at Anchorage International Film Festival, and Honorable Mention Best Short at DC Environmental Film Festival.

Valenciana’s work has been supported by Tribeca Film Institute, Cine Qua Non Lab, Stowe Story Labs, Puffin Foundation, Kartemquin Films, Chicago International Film Festival, DC Environmental Film Festival, Frozen River Film Festival, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and Illinois Arts Council.

Valenciana amplifies the voices of her local community filmmakers of color through the Mezcla Media Collective and as a mentor for Kartemquin Films Diverse Voices in Docs. She uses film to share underrepresented stories building towards a media landscape where diverse experiences are visible and celebrated.
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Erika Valenciana es una cineasta chicana de Chicago, licenciada en Cine y Video por Columbia College Chicago. Sus cortometrajes, galardonados, se han proyectado en festivales internacionales, incluyendo Blackstar y Mountainfilm. Entre sus reconocimientos recientes se incluyen la selección de The Pitch en Chicago International Film Festival, el premio del jurado y del público al mejor cortometraje documental en el Anchorage International Film Festival y una mención honorífica al mejor cortometraje en el DC Environmental Film Festival.

El trabajo de Valenciana ha recibido el apoyo del Instituto de Cine Tribeca, Cine Qua Non Lab, Stowe Story Labs, Puffin Foundation, Kartemquin Films, Frozen River Film Festival, DCASE: el Departamento de Asuntos Culturales de Chicago y Illinois Arts Council.

Valenciana amplifica las voces de los cineastas de color de su comunidad local a través del Mezcla Media Collective y como mentora de Diverse Voices in Docs de Kartemquin Films. Utiliza el cine para compartir historias subrepresentadas, construyendo un panorama mediático donde las experiencias diversas sean visibles y celebradas.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I have been a fan of beer for a long time (which is maybe how I ended with so many friends who work in beer. ;) The idea for "Brewer" came about when I read an article on sexism in the craft beer industry. Suddenly, all of the stories I had heard or seen happen no longer felt like isolated incidents, but like a prevalent problem swept under the rug, similar to the film industry. The more egregious stories were somehow less shocking than the micro aggressions. I heard stories of women telling someone they had brewed the beer they were drinking and having that person say, "no, you didn't." Or being questioned, "Do you really brew or just sweep after the guys?" (Ironic, considering, pre-industrial era, brewing was considered women's work.)

So the idea for this poetic documentary came about because I thought, I need to show women & non-binary brewers just doing their fucking job. Plain and simple. So no one watching can deny it. That's what "Brewer" is- showing brewers doing their thing and doing it well.
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Soy fan de la cerveza desde hace mucho tiempo (quizás por eso terminé con tantos amigos que trabajan en el sector. ;) La idea de "Brewer" surgió cuando leí un artículo sobre sexismo en la industria de la cerveza artesanal. De repente, todas las historias que había escuchado o visto ya no parecían incidentes aislados, sino un problema generalizado que se escondía bajo la alfombra, similar a lo que ocurre en la industria del cine. Las historias más atroces eran, de alguna manera, menos impactantes que las microagresiones. Escuché historias de mujeres que le contaban a alguien que habían elaborado la cerveza que estaban bebiendo y esa persona les decía: "No, no lo hiciste". O que les preguntaban: "¿De verdad elaboras cerveza o solo limpias despues de los hombres?" (Irónico, considerando que en la era preindustrial, la elaboración de cerveza se consideraba trabajo de mujeres).

Así que la idea de este poético documental surgió porque pensé: necesito mostrar a personas haciendo su trabajo. Así de simple. Para que nadie que lo vea pueda negarlo. De eso se trata "Brewer": mostrar a cerveceras haciendo lo suyo, y haciéndolo bien.