Overview
EatDrinkFilms is a food and film publication and event platform founded by Gary Meyer in San Francisco in 2014. The site operates as a free weekly online magazine covering food, drink, and cinema, and co-presents food-themed films at festivals and events throughout the year. The platform was conceived as a precursor to a full-scale food film festival, with a preview event (Food Day/Film Day) held on October 24, 2015 at the Roxie Theatre and the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
Gary Meyer co-founded Landmark Theatres in 1975, the first national arthouse chain in the US focused on creative marketing for non-Hollywood fare. He joined the Telluride Film Festival in 1998 and served as Festival Co-Director from 2007 to 2014. He launched EatDrinkFilms.com in April 2014 and began planning the EatDrinkFilms FEASTival, a Bay Area-wide food film festival planned for August 2016 with a national tour to follow. The site continues to publish weekly editorial content covering food films, festival selections, recipes, and culinary culture.
The Food Day/Film Day event on October 24, 2015 provided a model for the festival concept. The event screened four feature films at the Roxie Theatre (Babette's Feast, In Defense of Food, El Somni, and The Ways of Wine), each preceded by tastings from local food and beverage producers. A free program of food-themed short films screened at the Exploratorium, including Susan Rockefeller's Food for Thought, Food for Life. Single admission was $14 including tastings, with an all-day pass at $40 for four films.
Key Sections
- Online Magazine - weekly editorial content covering food films, festival selections, recipes, culinary culture, and film reviews, with contributions from established and new writers in the San Francisco Bay Area and nationally
- Festival Co-Presentations - food and beverage related films co-presented at various festivals and events throughout the year, including the Sonoma International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, and Frameline
- Food Day/Film Day - the inaugural standalone event (October 24, 2015) that served as a preview for the planned FEASTival
- EatDrinkFilms FEASTival - the planned Bay Area-wide food film festival, announced for August 2016 with a national tour to follow
What Filmmakers Should Know
Platform status: EatDrinkFilms currently operates as an online magazine and co-presentation platform rather than as a standalone festival with open submissions. Filmmakers should not submit films directly to EatDrinkFilms expecting a competitive festival selection process. Instead, the platform co-presents food-themed films that are already screening at partner festivals. If your food film is selected for a Bay Area festival, EatDrinkFilms may co-present it, which adds editorial coverage and audience outreach.
Editorial coverage: The site publishes reviews and features about food films screening at major festivals. Coverage includes the Sonoma International Film Festival (which programs 17 or more food-related films alongside culinary events), the Seattle International Film Festival, Frameline, and other Bay Area festival selections. Filmmakers with food-themed films screening at these festivals may receive editorial coverage on EatDrinkFilms, which extends audience reach beyond the festival itself.
Gary Meyer's industry network: Meyer's background as co-founder of Landmark Theatres and former Telluride Co-Director gives EatDrinkFilms access to a deep network of filmmakers, distributors, and festival programmers. The platform's co-presentations leverage these relationships to place food films in front of engaged Bay Area audiences. Filmmakers connected to Meyer's network may find opportunities for co-presentation and editorial coverage.
Food film as a growing niche: Food documentaries have become one of the most commercially viable documentary subgenres. Films about industrial agriculture, food justice, culinary tradition, and the global food system regularly secure theatrical distribution and streaming deals. EatDrinkFilms occupies a specific niche at the intersection of food culture and cinema, targeting audiences who are passionate about both. The Bay Area's culinary reputation and active film culture make San Francisco a natural hub for this content.
Sonoma International Film Festival partnership: EatDrinkFilms has a notable partnership with the Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF), held annually in March in Sonoma, California. SIFF programs over 90 films across five days and includes 17 or more food-related films, culinary events, and masterclasses. The 2025 edition featured a Marcella Hazan tribute dinner and a masterclass by Michelin Chef Yoshinori Ishii. EatDrinkFilms provides editorial coverage of SIFF's food film programming, making it a key venue for food filmmakers seeking exposure.
No current submission portal: There is no FilmFreeway page or open submission portal for EatDrinkFilms as a standalone festival. The planned FEASTival for August 2016 does not appear to have materialized as a recurring standalone event. Filmmakers should monitor the EatDrinkFilms website for any future festival announcements or co-presentation opportunities.
Major Awards
EatDrinkFilms does not currently operate a competitive awards program. The platform's value to filmmakers is editorial coverage and co-presentation at partner festivals, not competitive recognition.
Festival History
EatDrinkFilms was founded in April 2014 by Gary Meyer as a free weekly online magazine celebrating food, drink, and cinema. Meyer's career in film exhibition spans decades: he started his first theater in his family barn at age twelve, co-founded Landmark Theatres in 1975 (the first national arthouse chain in the US), directed the Dockers Classically Independent Film Festival and Tube Film Festival for the X Games, resurrected the 1926 Balboa Theatre in San Francisco, and joined the Telluride Film Festival in 1998, serving as Co-Director from 2007 to 2014.
The first EatDrinkFilms event was Food Day/Film Day on October 24, 2015, presented in partnership with FoodDay.org. The event screened four feature films at the Roxie Theatre in San Francisco, each preceded by food and beverage tastings from local producers. A free program of food-themed short films screened at the Exploratorium, including Susan Rockefeller's Food for Thought, Food for Life. The event was positioned as a preview of the larger EatDrinkFilms FEASTival planned for August 2016.
The FEASTival was announced as a Bay Area-wide festival with a national tour to follow. The event was designed to combine film screenings with food and beverage tastings, chef demonstrations, and culinary events. The platform continues to operate as an online magazine and co-presentation partner, covering food films at major festivals and publishing recipes, reviews, and culinary commentary alongside its film coverage.
Past Winners
EatDrinkFilms does not operate a competitive awards program. The platform's value to filmmakers is editorial coverage and co-presentation at partner festivals. There are no juried prizes or audience awards.
The platform co-presents food-themed films at festivals including the Sonoma International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, and Frameline. Co-presented films receive editorial coverage on the EatDrinkFilms website. This extends audience reach beyond the festival itself.
The planned EatDrinkFilms FEASTival was announced for August 2016 but did not materialize as a recurring event. The Food Day/Film Day event in October 2015 served as a preview. No competitive awards were presented at either event.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
- City of Gold (2015) - directed by Laura Gabbert. Co-presented by EatDrinkFilms at the 58th San Francisco International Film Festival. The documentary profiles Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold. Premiered at Sundance 2015 and distributed by IFC Films.
- Chef's Table (2015) - Netflix documentary series co-presented by EatDrinkFilms at SFIFF. Created by David Gelb, the series became one of Netflix's most successful documentary franchises. Now in its tenth year with multiple spinoff seasons.
- East Side Sushi (2014) - directed by Anthony Lucero. Co-presented by EatDrinkFilms at SF IndieFest 2015. The film follows a Latina woman pursuing her dream to become a sushi chef. Distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
- Dough (2015) - directed by John Goldschmidt. Co-presented by EatDrinkFilms at the 35th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. The film opened the festival on July 23, 2015 at the Castro Theatre. Director John Goldschmidt and actor Jerome Holder appeared in person.
- Babette's Feast (1987) - directed by Gabriel Axel. Screened at Food Day/Film Day 2015 at the Roxie Theatre. Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film. Available on the Criterion Collection.
- Food for Thought, Food for Life (2014) - directed by Susan Rockefeller. Screened at the Exploratorium as part of Food Day/Film Day 2015. The documentary examines agribusiness practices and sustainable food solutions.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
EatDrinkFilms does not have an open submission portal or FilmFreeway page. The platform is not a standalone festival with competitive selection. Filmmakers should not submit films directly expecting a festival screening process.
The platform co-presents food-themed films already screening at partner festivals. If your food film is selected for a Bay Area festival, EatDrinkFilms may co-present it. This adds editorial coverage and audience outreach to your festival screening.
Contact Gary Meyer through the EatDrinkFilms website for co-presentation inquiries. Meyer's network as Landmark Theatres co-founder and former Telluride Co-Director gives the platform industry connections. Filmmakers in his network may find co-presentation opportunities.
Food documentaries about agriculture, food justice, culinary tradition, and the global food system align with the platform's editorial focus. The Bay Area's culinary reputation makes San Francisco a natural hub for food film content. Films that work well in a food-and-film event context are favored.
The Sonoma International Film Festival is a key partner venue. SIFF programs over 17 food-related films alongside culinary events each March. Food filmmakers seeking EatDrinkFilms exposure should submit to SIFF and related Bay Area festivals.
Industry Reputation Notes
EatDrinkFilms occupies a unique niche as a food and film publication rather than a traditional festival. Compared to the Sonoma International Film Festival, which programs 17+ food films competitively, EatDrinkFilms provides editorial coverage and co-presentation. The platform does not offer competitive selection or industry market access.
Gary Meyer's background gives EatDrinkFilms significant industry credibility. As co-founder of Landmark Theatres and former Telluride Co-Director, Meyer has deep connections in the arthouse film world. These relationships enable co-presentations that place food films in front of engaged Bay Area audiences.
The platform's value is in audience outreach and editorial coverage, not in distribution or sales access. Filmmakers seeking industry market opportunities should look to larger food-focused festivals. EatDrinkFilms works best as a supplementary platform for films already screening at partner festivals.
The food documentary genre has grown in commercial viability. Films about industrial agriculture, food justice, and culinary tradition regularly secure theatrical and streaming distribution. EatDrinkFilms targets audiences passionate about both food culture and cinema.
Watch
See Also
For documentary filmmaking strategies, read Documentary Filmmaking Guide. For festival circuit planning and co-presentation strategies, read Film Festival Strategy. Use the Festival ROI Calculator to model the cost of submitting food-themed films to partner festivals like the Sonoma International Film Festival, where EatDrinkFilms provides editorial coverage.
