A TASTE OF SKY

by Michael Yuchen Lei

SYNOPSIS

In the Bolivian capital of La Paz, a city that sits 13,000 feet above sea level, an ambitious and unlikely culinary project has connected three people from vastly different backgrounds and is forever changing their lives.

Kenzo, a hunter raised in the wild of the Bolivian Amazon, and Maria Claudia, a native of the Andean altiplano, are far from home. They have come to La Paz for Gustu, a groundbreaking fine-dining restaurant and cooking school for the country’s underprivileged youth. Founded by acclaimed Danish restaurateur Claus Meyer, whose last project NOMA won “Best Restaurant in the World” a staggering four times; the hope is to guide these young Bolivians towards a better future as they attempt to establish their country as the world’s next great culinary destination

DETAILS

84 mins

2019

USA, Bolivia, Denmark

Spanish, English

TRAILER

CREDITS

Presented by North of Now - an Aleph Films Production in association with Archer Gray & Kevin Lin

Directed by Michael Yuchen Lei

Produced by Andrew Renzi, Kevin Iwashina, Michael Yuchen Lei

Produced by Abby Lynn Kang Davis, Jess Kwan

Executive Producers: Amy Nauiokas, Vinay Singh, James Connolly

Executive Producer: Kevin Lin

Director of Photography: Jeff Louis Peterman

Music by John Carey

Edited by Sofia Subercaseaux, Benjamin Wolin, Michael Y. Lei

BIOGRAPHY

DIRECTOR - MICHAEL YUCHEN LEI

Born in China and raised in New Orleans, New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area. Since graduating from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts Michael has directed acclaimed music videos which have been featured on VICE & MTV. His narrative short film "Catch a Monster" was selected to premiere at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and screened at various festivals around the world. He has been recognized as a fellow by the Points North Fellowship at the Camden International Film Festival, the San Francisco Film Society, the 2017 Film Independent Documentary Lab and the 2017 Film Independent Screenwriting Lab. Most recently he was selected for the Swatch Artist Residency in Shanghai for 2019.

His feature documentary debut "A Taste of Sky" premiered Tribeca Film Festival as well CPH:DOX International and is produced by award-winning filmmaker Andrew Renzi, Kevin Iwashina ("Jiro Dreams of Sushi") and Archer Gray ("20th Century Women", "The Diary of a Teenage Girl"). He began his career working as personal photographer to Joe Walsh of the Eagles and photographing musical artists such as the xx, Alt-J, and Outkast for various publications.

SELECT FESTIVALS

TRIBECA 2019〡CPH:DOX 2019〡HAIFA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2019〡THESSALONIKI 2019〡NAPA VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL 2019〡AFI LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL 2019

PRESS

"Stimulates the brain as well as makes the viewers salivate"
- Screendaily