Watch A Small Section of the World

A Small Section of the World is a 2014 documentary film that tells the story of a group of women who live in a small village called Biolley in Costa Rica. These women are coffee producers who have revolutionized the coffee industry by developing the first-ever female-run coffee cooperative. The film is directed by Lesley Chilcott, who is known for her work on An Inconvenient Truth and Waiting for 'Superman'. The documentary was produced by Starbucks, which is also one of the biggest buyers of coffee from Biolley.

At the heart of A Small Section of the World are the women of Biolley, who have been traditionally excluded from the coffee industry because of their gender. However, in the late 1990s, a group of these women came together and decided to form their own coffee cooperative. They named it "Asomobi," which stands for the Association of Women Coffee Producers of Biolley.

Asomobi was formed at a time when the coffee industry was struggling. Coffee prices were low, and many small-scale producers were struggling to make ends meet. However, the women of Biolley were determined to make a change. They started by pooling their resources and their knowledge to produce high-quality coffee beans that were sold under the brand "Café de las Mujeres".

The documentary follows the women of Asomobi as they work together to overcome the challenges they face as female farmers. In a male-dominated industry, they face discrimination and intimidation. However, they refuse to give up. Instead, they work to improve their skills and their knowledge, and they collaborate with each other to come up with new ideas and solutions.

The women of Asomobi not only produced coffee beans of unprecedented quality, but they also built a sustainable business model that ensured that they were paid fairly for their hard work. They organized themselves in a way that allowed each member to have a voice and a vote in how the cooperative was run. They invested in their community, building schools and health clinics. They even started a scholarship fund to help the children of Biolley pursue higher education.

Throughout the documentary, we get to know some of the women of Asomobi individually. We hear their personal stories and learn about the challenges they have faced. We see how coffee production has not only changed their lives but the lives of their families and their community.

The documentary also features interviews with coffee experts and buyers from around the world, who speak about the impact that Asomobi has had on the coffee industry. They explain how the women of Biolley have challenged traditional notions of what coffee should taste like and have pushed for more sustainable and ethical production practices.

A Small Section of the World is a beautifully shot documentary that shows the power of determination and collaboration. It tells the inspiring story of a group of women who refused to be excluded from an industry that had traditionally shut them out. They not only succeeded in producing high-quality coffee beans but also in building a sustainable and equitable business model that has had a lasting impact on their community.

The documentary is a must-watch for anyone interested in coffee production or in the stories of women who break through barriers to achieve their goals. It is a celebration of resilience, innovation, and community, and it will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired.

A Small Section of the World is a 2014 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 2 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.8 and a MetaScore of 46.