Fleur: A Short Film by Y.S. Kim
"Life is short. Eat dessert first." - Ernestine Ulmer
As the world becomes more and more polarized, our divisions becoming increasingly what defines us, there is one great equalizer that connects us all... our mortality.
A gifted pastry chef sets out for possibly her last day at work. An early and lonely commute through the impoverished, diverse streets of Oakland, to her bakery that lies in the heart of it. Her work, her pastries... are sublime. She clearly has a gift, and the delight of her customers prove it. But because of a worsening health issue, she has forgotten what her art is all about.
While at work, she receives the diagnosis. And the news is devastating. What do you do when everything you’ve dedicated your life to, everything that defines you... may all be cut short? Does the work still have purpose?
You never know what people are going through. We never know when our own stories will end. This is the account of a gifted artist who is abruptly confronted with her mortality. A story that is waiting for us all, despite all of our differences.
Fleur is the owner and head pastry chef of Sweet Bar Bakery. A once celebrated artisan, now a burnt out worker at an inner city, community bakery. Burdened by illness, Fleur finds herself at a pivotal moment, when she is notified with her official diagnosis.
A perfectionist. An unmatched work ethic. A master of detail. Now middle-aged, no family, with limited time. Her passion is all that she has. Does it have value? Will it continue? What is the purpose? Can you truly separate the art from the artist?
At Sweet Bar Bakery, only the most elevated and unique confections are created. The freshest ingredients. The rare and slightly unusual. Nothing imperfect or subpar.
For Fleur, it’s personal. Her process is methodical. Her talent and commitment, unmatched. But there's something more. Something inspired and life giving. Something her customers can’t define, but feel. Fleur is the vessel. Truth coursing through her, inspiring the most exquisite and distinctive pastries in the Bay Area.
Sweet Bar Bakery is a reflection of Oakland itself. Diverse and lively. A city with a history of racial and political unrest, now struggling to maintain itself in the current Bay Area landscape. Ravaged by gentrification and the tech boom, the creative heartbeat of Oakland beats on. And Sweet Bar Bakery is at the center of it. An oasis of blissful, albeit ephemeral community. A respite.
A SPECIAL THANKS to Ashley Chung and the wonderful staff of Sweet Bar Bakery for their flexibility, graciousness and for allowing us to film our little project. A wonderful team of their own, serving their community for more than a decade.
Fleur's kitchen crew is a perfect example of unique and vibrant flavors coming together for a common goal. A new crop of talented, second and third generation immigrants, melding into the perfect cross-section of Oakland diversity. Forming and forging a daily experience greater than themselves, to help Fleur’s vision come to fruition.
