Kings of Pastry (Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker, 2009, 87 min.). The Brooklyn Museum presents a documentary from the award-winning filmmakers D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.  Kings of Pastry takes audiences behind the scenes of a never-before-filmed event, France’s prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France competition. Following the film, there will be a Q&A with filmmakers Pennebaker and Hegedus and renowned chocolatier Jacques Torres ("Mr. Chocolate").



Every four years, France’s pastry elite assembles for three days of piping, mixing, and sculpting, all in an effort to win the title and the coveted tri-color collar of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France. To succeed, chefs must risk family, finance, and reputation. Kings of Pastry follows 16 competitors to an anxiously anticipated finale, the outcome of which has the potential to either wreak havoc on or propel each man’s career. Stepping away from the spectacle of culinary television, Kings of Pastry presents real people in moments of despair and joy. Men who begin as friendly rivals quickly transform into brothers facing a communal struggle against failure.



This event is a collaboration with the award-winning documentary series POV. Free with Museum admission. As seating is limited, advance ticket purchase for general admission is recommended at www.museumtix.com.