Director’s Cut Roast Featuring Exclusive Artwork by Chicago Muralist Oscar Joyo Available In Stores August 26
CHICAGO, Illinois – The Chicago International Film Festival and Dark Matter Coffee today unveiled the 2022 limited edition Director’s Cut product line celebrating the 58th edition of the longest-running competitive film festival in North America, running October 12 - 23, 2022, marking the second creative collaboration of the two iconic Chicago brands. Featuring exclusive artwork by Chicago muralist Oscar Joyo, this year’s Director’s Cut line includes a Coffee Cold, a chocolate bar, and a custom coffee blend. Director’s Cut Coffee is available online and at Dark Matter Coffee locations beginning Friday August 26, 2022.
The Director’s Cut product line’s packaging design features more than 30 figures inspired by cinematic history gathered to enjoy the communal experience of watching a film on the big screen.
“The intent of this illustration is not only to pay homage to moments throughout film history, but also to acknowledge and celebrate the audience that is inspired by and finds catharsis in film,” said artist Oscar Joyo, creator of the 2022 Director’s Cut exclusive artwork. “As someone who loves movies, I was drawn to the idea of iconic characters gathered together as an audience watching a film together. I hope everyone connects with something in this design, and perhaps is moved to watch a film they’ve never seen before.”
“One of the most rewarding aspects of cinema is the conversations an interesting film can spark,” said Chicago International Film Festival Managing Director Vivian Teng. “Creativity inspires creativity, and nowhere is that more apparent than in this collaboration between film, street art, and food and beverage, resulting in the perfect cup of coffee to discuss a favorite film or new discovery over.”
“Communities thrive with art and creativity,” said Brian Grabiner, Vice President of Dark Matter Coffee. “Collaborating with the Chicago International Film Festival, acclaimed muralist Oscar Joyo, and Dark Matter Coffee’s talented roasters gives our Chicago community a whole new way to experience the inspiration, romance, adventure, and drama we can find in the communal experience of cinema.”
Director’s Cut Coffee and Chocolate is available for purchase from Dark Matter Coffee at https://www.darkmattercoffee.com/ and at their eight retail locations throughout Chicago for $22 per 12 oz. bag; $5 per Coffee Cold can or $16 per four-pack; Director’s Cut chocolate bars are available for $7; and the Director’s Cut Bundle, including a 12 oz. bag, 4-pack of Coffee Cold, and one chocolate bar, is $40.
About the Blend
The two coffees that make up the Director’s Cut blend highlight the beautiful processing that they undergo as they move through the Cafe Tuxpal mill in El Salvador. Federico Pacas and his team carefully sort, ferment, and dry the coffee to produce a clean, balanced cup. This blend has a honey-processed Pacas as a component, which has a significant amount of mucilage from the coffee cherry on the bean allowing more robust fermentation to take place as the natural yeasts and microbes break down these sugars. This is paired with another Pacas that was dried with the skin intact, giving the bean an enclosed system where the fermentation can take place, producing bright acidity and fruitier notes. Together these two beans create a sweet, syrupy coffee with a balanced red fruit acidity.
Whole Bean Bag
Country: El Salvador
Farm: Vista Hermosa
Cultivar: Pacas
Process: Honey
About the Chocolate Bar
For this chocolate bar, Dark Matter built a blend using some favorite cacaos from Southern Mexico. They followed a similar approach to the coffee, with the creamy, nutty Trinitario as a foundation, highlighted with Blanco Jaguar to brighten up the blend. Both of these cacaos are grown and processed by Margarito Mendoza of Ostuacan, Chiapas.
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