Fighting to overcome the challenges of broken homes, abusive pasts, and financial burdens, three inner-city seniors at Philadelphia’s Frankford High School find an unlikely champion in the kitchen of Wilma Stephenson. A legend in the school system, Mrs. Stephenson is a force to be reckoned with, and her boot camp method of teaching Culinary Arts is not for the faint of heart. Under her fierce direction, the usual distractions of high school—the cheerleading practices, football games, and school dances—are swept aside as the students focus on preparing for a citywide cooking competition for scholarships to some of the country’s top culinary arts institutions.
Former Manager of Exhibition and Film Funding at the Museum of Modern Art, Jennifer Grausman directed and produced the Emmy-nominated documentary, Pressure Cooker (2008).
Mark Becker is an editor, producer and director. His short Jules at Eight (1996) won an IDA Student Documentary Awards special jury prize. His feature debut Romántico (2005) was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards. He directed Pressure Cooker (2008) with Jennifer Grausman.
General sponsor
Pressure Cooker
USA
2008, 89', color, video
Directed by:
Jennifer Grausman, Mark Becker
Cinematography:
Leigh Iacobucci, Mark Becker, Justin Schein
Edited by:
Mark Becker
Music:
Donald Newkirk, Prince Paul
Producer:
Jennifer Grausman
Produced by:
Non Sequitur Productions