Kings of Pastry

2010

Kings of Pastry

Critics Consensus

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Kings of Pastry Photos

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Movie Info

Film Forum is pleased to present the U.S. theatrical premiere of KINGS OF PASTRY, by legendary documentary filmmaking team, D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus (DONT LOOK BACK, MONTEREY POP, THE WAR ROOM), opening September 15. Sixteen contenders seek the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France ("MOF"), France's highest honor in the sublime art of patisserie, employing vast amounts of sugar, butter and eggs - not to mention adrenaline - to create gorgeous, fantastical, delicious creations. Some of the world's most accomplished chefs gather in Lyon for three intense days of mixing, piping and sculpting everything from delicate chocolates and elaborate cream puffs to six-foot-high sugar sculptures. D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus secured exclusive access to shoot this never-before-filmed event. They follow chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, co-founder of Chicago's French Pastry School, as he journeys to his childhood home of Alsace to practice for the contest. During the competition itself, chefs work under constant scrutiny by master judges and their critical palates. These pastry marathoners race to deliver their creations (including extraordinarily fragile sugar sculptures) without shattering them. It's a suspenseful quest for artistic perfection - brimming with passion, sacrifice, disappointment, and joy - to become one of the KINGS OF PASTRY. -- (C) Film Forum

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Documentary, Special Interest
Directed By:

D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus
In Theaters:

Sep 15, 2010 limited
On Disc/Streaming:

Feb 22, 2011
Box Office:

$336,095
Runtime:

84 minutes
Studio:

First Run Features

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Cast

Jacquy Pfeiffer

Sébastien Canonne

Rachel Beaudry

Philippe Rigollot

Philippe Urraca

Frederique Lazard

Regis Lazard

Stephane Glacier

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News & Interviews for Kings of Pastry

Critics Consensus: Easy A and The Town Are Certified Fresh

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Critic Reviews for Kings of Pastry

All Critics (35) | Top Critics (16) | DVD (2)

The makers are left, finally, a few cookies short.

Nov 14, 2016 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

David Elliott
San Diego Reader
Top Critic
The Food Network is awash with cooking- and baking-competition shows, but The Kings of Pastry operates on a much higher level.

Dec 9, 2010 | Rating: 3/4

Rene Rodriguez
Miami Herald
Top Critic
Documentary peeking into a high-stakes French competition will fascinate foodies.

Dec 3, 2010 | Full Review…

John DeFore
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic
The documentary proves almost as sweet as its subject.

Dec 3, 2010 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
Top Critic
What makes Kings of Pastry more than a sugar-coated showcase of culinary porn is its emphasis on the individual human dramas that exist behind all of these delicacies.

Dec 2, 2010 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Jason Anderson
Toronto Star
Top Critic
As satisfying as, er, pain au chocolat.

Nov 24, 2010 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Stephanie Merry
Washington Post
Top Critic
Beyond the competition, "Kings of Pastry" celebrates food as an art form to be savored, not a commodity to be consumed absent-mindedly.

Mar 4, 2011 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Rob Thomas
Capital Times (Madison, WI)
These guys are obsessed.

Dec 3, 2010 | Rating: 3.5/5

Liz Braun
Jam! Movies
... through highly skilled directing and editing, this documentary comes alive with universal concerns and emotional content.

Dec 2, 2010 | Full Review…

Emily S. Mendel
culturevulture.net
The premise is pastry, but the story is about having a dream

Nov 24, 2010 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…

Andrea Chase
Killer Movie Reviews
[A] light-as-a-cream-puff film about a pastry competition in France.

Nov 19, 2010 | Full Review…

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
Slowly blossoms into something engaging and even poignant, despite an uninspired, point-and-shoot style that rivals Sarah Palin for its lack of inquisitiveness.

Oct 13, 2010 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…

Brent Simon
Shared Darkness

View All Critic Reviews (35)

Audience Reviews for Kings of Pastry

Oct 04, 2012

If you are interested in the culinary arts, you will probably like this documentary about three of the 16 chefs seeking the Maitre Ouvrier de France designation; if you're looking for an uplifting tale of overcoming adversity, you'll be mostly satisfied, though the director's angle leaves a little to be desired - it kind of felt like he just turned the camera on. The low budget filming bothered me, too. Interesting enough, and not much "wrong with it," but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Daniel P Super Reviewer
Jan 08, 2011

"Kings of Pastry" is an interesting documentary about the Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition held once every four years with a spotlight on Jacquy Pfeiffer of the French Pastry School of Chicago. To borrow a phrase from one of the judges, it is kind of like the olympics for pastry chefs in that not only have their entire careers been building to this one moment, it also entirely depends on what they do in competition which is stretched over three days. This time, the theme is weddings with a surprise in store for the chefs. Since this is a great honor that goes just beyond the cool tricolor collars, the judges watch the chefs like hawks in order to make sure they stick closely to the rules, so only the best have a chance. They are not the only ones as the cameras follow the chefs around as they create their concoctions which have to be handled as delicately as possible, giving new meaning to the phrase "agony of defeat." In fact, the judges root for their fellow chefs to make it, as the chief judge cries when he reveals how few actually qualified at the end. Even then, there is a happy ending for the film. However, the documentary did not make me hungry. Well, I wouldn't mind one of those lollipops.

Walter M Super Reviewer