DOC NYC: “The Big Cheese” is the Wheel Deal
There’s nothing quite like good cheese. You and I may not be able to tell the difference between a Gouda and an Edam, but there’s a very dedicated group of professionals known as cheesemongers who can taste the minimal discrepancies blindfolded. You and I may also not know about the existence of what is essentially the Olympics for cheesemongers, but these scrappy American cheese lovers do. Sara Joe Wolanksy’s documentary, The Big Cheese, premiering as part of DOC NYC 2025, follows a shockingly punk rock group of cheesemongers as they try to put American cheese on the international map.
The Mondial du Fromage is a biennial event held in Tours, France. It’s part trade show, part a high-stakes-World’s-Best-Cheesemonger competition. The event began in 2013, and no American has come close to taking home the grand prize. It’s a grueling competition that includes a written test, an oral presentation, a blind taste test, and more. To qualify for the American team, one must first win the Cheesemonger Invitational (CMI) hosted by Adam Jay Moskowitz, president of Maker to Monger and Team USA coach. The Big Cheese follows Cheesemonger hopefuls as they compete at CMI, train, and take the world stage at Mondial du Fromage.
courtesy of The Big Cheese
There are some documentaries that exist to fundamentally upend our understanding of the world around us. Think Bowling for Columbine, An Inconvenient Truth, and 13th. The Big Cheese is not one of those documentaries. It will not change the way you see the world around you, except that it may soften you. As Emma Stone says in La La Land, “people love what other people are passionate about.” And, cheese whiz, are these people passionate about cheese. That’s what makes The Big Cheese such a heartwarming documentary. It’s a chronicle of these people’s pursuit of something larger than themselves, done not for a life-changing amount of money (the grand prize is $2,900), but because of what it means to love something so profoundly.
courtesy of The Big Cheese
As fun as it is to be immersed in a world you may know nothing about, the heart of the film is Adam. He’s the founder of the Cheesemonger Invitational and cheese is in his blood. He jokingly calls his family a part of the cheese mafia because his father and grandfather played a major role in importing and distributing cheeses across the country. The reason you can go to your local grocery store and pick up a wedge of Roquefort is because of Adam’s family. He resisted joining the family business and instead made (and lost) millions in tech. He credits cheese for saving his life and turning him around, making him realize what’s truly important in life.
Maybe cheese isn’t the thing for you, the viewer, but there’s something out there that can fuel you and direct your life in a positive manner. Cheese has given Adam purpose, community, family, and excitement, but it’s not just Adam. The Big Cheese knows this is much bigger than him. It’s an encouragement to viewers to find the thing they’re passionate about. To feel confident and inspired by life is to find a purpose that cannot be purchased or forced. The Big Cheese is bright, tangy, and bold, and with a description like that, I’m sure a cheesemonger could pair the documentary with a delectable wedge of something cheesy.
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