In 2021 I worked as a barista in the Bay Area at a chain coffee shop. Alongside the constant commotion of customer service, there was a peace to the making of the coffee itself. We specialized in pour-over coffee, so for every cup you had to pack the filter, pour the water, and wait. No matter who was screaming over the counter asking for this or that, or how many hours were left before your measly state-mandated break, while the water poured you had to wait. My fellow baristas and I were, at the busiest times, churning out six coffees every five minutes–each. Like a runner’s high, you’d push and sweat and hustle until you reached a flow state, a perfect Nirvana of coffee brewing, and the customers would fade away and it was just a barista and her bar in perfect sync.

I left the barista job and the Bay in the fall of 2022 to pursue my MFA in Film and Animation on the East Coast, but I brought with me a year’s worth of intimate knowledge of coffee. Sometimes, in my kitchen, making just my own cup, I am able to find that same peace in the brewing process. Percolate is my invitation to you to find that peace as well, in the textures of the kitchen space, the beauty of routine, and the comfort of home. Please take just thirty seconds out of your busy day–to wait for the coffee to brew.

Note: Percolate is currently not publicly available, as it is making its festival run. During this time it will be linked on a password protected page. Please feel free to reach out if you would like a link and a password for viewing!