Yes, you can watch an entire movie about tea, “Zen and the Art of Matcha.” The majestic Fox Tucson Theater will host this beautiful documentary about the Zen philosophy and the Art of Matcha on March 11, 2026. Matcha is a phenomenon taking the world by storm. Tickets are free, but registration is required for this special evening. 

Before the film begins, there will be a dynamic taiko drum performance by L.A.Taiko Ichiza, a Japanese drumming ensemble from Los Angeles as well as a traditional Nihon Buyo dance performance by Suzuyuki Kai. Guests are encouraged, but not required, to wear green hues and colors.

This one-hour film takes viewers on a Zen journey with Dr. Weil as our guide into the world of matcha with the tea culture and spiritual matrix of Japan. Through interviews with Zen monks and a traditional tea ceremony, the film tells the story of matcha and its connection to Zen thought and how Sado, the way of tea, is now spreading globally.

The creation of matcha is seen from harvest through processing and blending, and finally grinding into fine matcha powder. The film also includes profiles of Tango Tanimura, a 20th generation artisan who hand carves an intricate tea whisk on camera and Ogawa Choraku, who kneads clay into beautiful Raku tea bowls used by the Emperor of Japan.

Dr. Weil’s daughter, Diana Weil, has a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, and a Master’s degree in Nutrition. She started working with Matcha.com by making recipes for them. As the company grew, she began marketing savory recipes, especially desserts, for Matcha.com, and she is now the Head Dietitian and Marketing Strategist for Matcha.com.

Diana explains that matcha is a powder made from green tea leaves.

Matcha is different than regular green tea. It is a type of green tea that is grown in the shade, which has the effect of boosting the number of certain phytochemicals that offer a range of health benefits including antioxidants as well as polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory effects.

The matcha leaves are shaded before processing, which creates L-theanine. Since matcha contains caffeine, which is a stimulant, it’s important that it also has the L-theanine with its calming effect.

According to Diana, it is critical that you know you are buying the best matcha tea. She recommends sourcing matcha directly from Japan. The tea should be a bright, vibrant green, powder texture, and come in an opaque container. Low quality matcha can contain heavy metals, so Matcha.com, the Internet’s official supplier of matcha tea, screens for these toxins.

Diana encourages anyone who is interested in learning more about the matcha culture to attend. There will even be a choice of 2 matcha cocktails and two matcha mock-cocktails to purchase. “We also have a ton of food and drink recipes on our website,” she comments.

This utterly extraordinary movie is directed by Scott Garen, the filmmaker for Seven Arrows, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Garen is a story teller.

“I like to make films that explore the human condition; the deeper resonances of our experience as human beings on this planet at this extraordinarily challenging time,” he says.

Garen has known Dr. Weil for about 25 years, and during this time they had circled a lot of film projects. Last year Dr. Weil called him and said he had a Matcha company. He proposed that Garen go to Japan with him to make a movie that would be a journey into the world of matcha inside the tea matrix of spiritual Japan. That was a no brainer for Garen, and he said “yes.”

The approach to the interviews was unique. A great deal of time was spent in pre-production zooms before filming, so they could capture the best subjects for the film.

To find the best candidates, they auditioned many people, including some of the famous Zen monks in Kyoto, a tea maker to conduct the ceremony, and farms in the city Uji, in the mountains as well as many other locales in order to pick the right tea farms. They also interviewed brilliant craftsmen who make the tea bowls and whisks used with matcha.

The matcha ceremony has a connection to mindfulness. Coffee creates a jangly nervous kind of energy. Matcha was originally utilized to help keep the monks awake during their long meditations.

It’s remarkable that even now young people are embracing matcha and spreading the word through the world of social media. Garen’s daughter introduced him to matcha, which he now drinks straight or as lattes with either almond or oat milk, because lactose in regular milk negates the efficacy of matcha.

Immediately after the film, there will be a Q and A with Dr. Andrew Weil, a wonderful and erudite speaker, and Scott Garen, who makes films that rekindle the sense of the sacred and wonder in the world and our lives.

“This is the first major film exploring matcha. “I’m excited to share all this information about matcha, which I think will be new and surprising for most people,” said Dr. Andrew Weil.

“Dr. Weil is the key to taking us on this cultural and spiritual journey. I’m very excited about sharing our film on the big screen. Come and learn about the tea culture and the world of matcha, the way it’s grown and processed, and its deep roots in Zen thought and the tea ceremony,” adds filmmaker Scott Garen.

Even the music in the video is ineffable. “The music in the film brings the audience into a Zen-like world. When people who have already seen the film hear the music again, they can literally visualize the images from the film,” Garen relates.

Doors open for the free event at 5:30. It’s recommended you arrive early to see the Japanese culture portion of the event beginning at 6:00, with the drummers and dancing portion of the show. The screening of the documentary begins immediately following the performances.

For RSVP and event details, visit www.foxtucson.com

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLkOEG_muDc&t=3s

The Fox Tucson Theatre - 17 W Congress, Tucson, AZ

Opening: The Fox Tucson Theatre opened on April 11, 1930, as a dual vaudeville/movie house. The Fox featured a stage, full fly-loft, and dressing rooms beneath the stage. The combined ef... Read More »