Rome International Film Festival 2008

The Meaning of Tea is an engaging documentary film that explores the romance and complexities surrounding tea, a universally beloved and widely consumed beverage. The film travels through eight countries, unveiling many reasons behind tea?s mysterious appeal. From afternoon tea in the Midwestern United States to tea estates in India, from the traditional tea ceremony of Japan to modern tea life in Morocco, the film explores the rituals and ceremonies of tea celebrated and enjoyed by a myriad of unique cultures. With an exciting mix of interviews, archival footage and music, the film sheds light on its many varieties, whose value, use, practices, and traditions are sometimes misunderstood, neglected, and even threatened by today's marketplace. The common thread weaving together these individual stories is the question of whether there is any inherent 'meaning' to be found in tea, particularly in an era increasingly dominated by mass-marketing, fast food and corporate coffee. The film also examines the role certain modern forces pay in threatening the survival of tea and its cultural significance. By visiting places where tea is still revered and by investigating its role in these societies, The Meaning of Tea suggests the profoundly positive role tea may play in the future of mankind.