Title
(I’m Not) Your Negroni
Primary Genre
Documentary Short
Secondary Genres
Cultural Documentary The film explores culture, identity, and representation through the lens of craft cocktails and Black history. Food & Drink Documentary The story is anchored in hospitality, mixology, and culinary storytelling. Social Impact Documentary The film examines broader conversations around race, belonging, and visibility in contemporary America.
Runtime
22 Minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Director
Antonio Tarrell
Producers
Antonio Tarrell Hannah Fletcher
Executive Producers
Ralph L. Fletcher Fletcher Roy & Chevenvert, LLC
LOGLINE
Award-winning bartender Joseph “Joe” Stinchcomb stirs up the small town of Oxford, Mississippi when he launches a craft cocktail menu honoring Black History Month.
SHORT SYNOPSIS
When an Oxford, Mississippi bartender creates a Black History Month cocktail menu featuring drinks inspired by Black history and culture, a wave of controversy exposes deeper tensions surrounding race, art, and identity in the modern South.
LONG SYNOPSIS
On February 1, 2018, Saint Leo—an Italian-inspired restaurant in Oxford, Mississippi—introduced a cocktail menu boldly titled “BLACK HISTORY MONTH COCKTAILS.” Designed by head bartender and beverage director Joseph “Joe” Stinchcomb, the menu featured five cocktails inspired by Black American history and culture, including a reimagined Negroni titled I’m Not Your Negroni. What began as a creative and thoughtful act of hospitality storytelling quickly ignited public backlash. A social media post praising the menu spread online, prompting criticism from members of the community uncomfortable with the menu’s racial framing and historical references. Through intimate interviews, atmospheric cinematography, and conversations rooted in Southern identity, (I’m Not) Your Negroni examines the intersection of hospitality, race, memory, and public discourse in contemporary Mississippi. The film explores how art and creativity can challenge silence, provoke discomfort, and create space for meaningful dialogue in communities often hesitant to confront their histories. Set against the backdrop of Oxford’s celebrated culture and complicated past, the documentary reveals how something as seemingly simple as a cocktail menu became a catalyst for a much larger conversation.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
(I’m Not) Your Negroni is a deeper look into the undercurrent of creativity and culture in the small Southern town of Oxford, Mississippi. Oxford is somehow both quaint and over-the-top—a place where sports, arts, academia, and hospitality all collide within a picturesque downtown square. One of the most influential figures in that hospitality scene is Joe Stinchcomb, an award-winning bartender known for his inventive cocktail programs and thoughtful storytelling through drinks. When Joe released a Black History Month menu in February 2018, he had no idea that his carefully curated cocktails would stir deep-seated tensions hiding beneath the surface of what many consider a picture-perfect Southern town. This film explores how art, hospitality, and public reaction intersect. While the menu opened old wounds for some, my hope is that telling Joe’s story creates space for those wounds to begin healing through honest dialogue and reflection. Visually, the film blends cinematic imagery of Oxford with intimate moments and layered conversations about race, creativity, and Southern identity. It celebrates the beauty of the community while confronting the realities that continue shaping it. Ultimately, I hope this documentary encourages audiences—not only in Oxford, but everywhere—to engage in the difficult conversations necessary for growth and change. — Antonio Tarrell
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Antonio Tarrell is an award-winning filmmaker from Bruce, Mississippi, currently living in Little Rock, Arkansas whose work spans documentary filmmaking, cinematography, and producing. Through Antonio Tarrell Films, he creates cinematic stories rooted in culture, memory, justice, and the American South. His body of work includes:
- Cole: Bridge to Justice
- Robert Johnson: I Believe I’ll Go Back Home
- Sites of Memory
- Moving Spirits: Encounters with our Ancestors
- Caravan of Hope
- Evidence of Our Existence
Tarrell has also contributed to productions for:
- PBS
- Mississippi Public Broadcast (MPB)
- Smithsonian Channel
- Food Network
- Condé Nast Entertainment
- Discovery Channel
- NBC
- NHK Japan
- Fox Business
His storytelling approach combines visually immersive cinematography with emotionally grounded narratives that explore underrepresented histories and contemporary social realities.
KEY PARTICIPANTS
Joseph “Joe” Stinchcomb
Award-winning bartender and hospitality professional whose Black History Month cocktail menu inspired the film. Joe’s hospitality background includes:
- Saint Leo
- Blackberry Farm
- French Laundry
- Hotel Jerome
- Bar Muse
- Good Day Cafe
He has been recognized by:
- James Beard Foundation
- Southern Foodways Alliance
- Blackberry Farm Fellowship Programs
Joseph “Joe” Stinchcomb is an award-recognized bartender, hospitality entrepreneur, and cultural storyteller whose work has helped redefine contemporary cocktail culture in Mississippi and beyond. Known for blending craft beverage innovation with historical and social commentary, Stinchcomb has emerged as a distinctive voice at the intersection of hospitality, art, and community engagement. A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Joe’s path into hospitality began unexpectedly after being laid off from a corporate job shortly after college. What started as a back-of-house position at Proud Larry’s in Oxford eventually evolved into a deep passion for the restaurant and beverage industry—one rooted not only in service, but in creating meaningful experiences and fostering connection through hospitality. (Delta Business Journal) Joe later became the beverage director at Saint Leo, where he spent five years building one of the region’s most celebrated cocktail programs. During his tenure, Saint Leo gained national recognition, including James Beard Foundation semifinalist honors for Outstanding Bar Program. It was there that Joe created the now-infamous Black History Month cocktail menu that inspired (I’m Not) Your Negroni—a project that transformed a restaurant menu into a larger conversation about race, identity, memory, and artistic expression in the modern South. What distinguished Joe’s work was his belief that cocktails could function as more than beverages. For him, hospitality became a form of storytelling. His menus drew inspiration from Black history, Southern culture, literature, music, and diasporic ingredients, challenging audiences to think critically about the spaces they occupy and the histories they inherit. Following Saint Leo, Joe co-founded Bar Muse and Good Day Café inside Oxford’s historic Lyric Theater complex. Built during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ventures reflected Joe’s commitment to creating welcoming, community-centered hospitality spaces rooted in creativity, inclusion, and local collaboration. The businesses quickly earned national attention, including recognition from Esquire as one of the Top 20 New Bars in America. (Delta Business Journal) Beyond hospitality, Joe has become an advocate for equitable entrepreneurship and community development in Mississippi. Recognizing the lack of minority-owned businesses on Oxford’s historic Square, he helped launch initiatives focused on mentorship, financial literacy, and leadership opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs. Through partnerships with local organizations and community leaders, Joe has worked to expand access and visibility for minority-owned businesses across the state. (Delta Business Journal) His professional journey also includes participation in the prestigious Blackberry Farm Foundation fellowship program, along with recognition from organizations connected to the James Beard ecosystem and the Southern Foodways Alliance. His work has been featured in publications including Garden & Gun, The Local Palate, Imbibe, and the Delta Business Journal. In (I’m Not) Your Negroni, Joe’s story becomes more than the story of a bartender. It becomes a reflection of how hospitality spaces can evolve into platforms for dialogue, cultural memory, artistic risk, and community transformation. Through cocktails, conversation, and public reaction, Joe’s work asks audiences to reconsider what hospitality can truly mean—and who it is meant to serve.
FESTIVAL & SCREENING HISTORY
Awards & Recognition
Oxford Film Festival 2024
Honorable Mention — Best Documentary Short
Los Angeles Short FIlm Award 2024
Honorable Mention — Best Documentary Short
JXN Film Festival 2024
Choice Award Winner
Over-The-Rhine International Film Festival 2025
Underground Railroad Freedom Award Winner
Rock City Film Festival 2026
Best Documentary Short & Audience Choice Award
Official Selections & Screenings
- Clarksdale Film & Music Festival (2025)
- LightReel Film Festival (2024)
- FILMLAND (2025)
- Black Indie Filmmakers Association Houston Film Festival (2024)
- St. Louis International Film Festival (2025)
- Magnolia Independent Film Festival (2026)
- Fort Smith International Film Festival (2025)
- Spillit Story Film Festival (2026)
- The Lyric (2024)
- The Center for Southern Studies (2025)
SCREENING & EVENT OPPORTUNITY
HOST A SCREENING
Bring the Experience to Your Community
(I’m Not) Your Negroni is more than a documentary screening. It is a dynamic cultural experience that combines storytelling, cocktail history, community dialogue, and live audience engagement. Centered on award-winning bartender Joseph “Joe” Stinchcomb, the film explores how craft cocktails can spark meaningful conversations about Black history, identity, entrepreneurship, and belonging. Ideal for: • Universities and colleges • Museums and cultural institutions • Film festivals and arts organizations • Black History Month programming • Food and beverage festivals • Hospitality conferences • Corporate employee engagement and ERG programs • Spirits and beverage brands
SCREENING OPTIONS
Community Screening
Designed for libraries, nonprofits, museums, and community organizations.
Includes
• Public screening rights • Audience discussion guide • Promotional toolkit • Event marketing assets • Pre-recorded filmmaker introduction
Audience Capacity
25–300 attendees
Licensing Fee
Starting at $500+
Screening + Filmmaker Conversation
An interactive experience featuring a live discussion with filmmaker Antonio Tarrell.
Includes
Everything in the Community Screening package, plus: • Virtual or in-person Q&A • Behind-the-scenes insights • Storytelling and filmmaking discussion • Audience engagement session
Audience Capacity
50–500 attendees
Licensing Fee
Starting at $1,500+
Signature Cocktail Experience
Our premier event offering, combining documentary storytelling with a live cocktail activation led by Joseph “Joe” Stinchcomb.
Includes
Everything in the Screening + Filmmaker Conversation package, plus: • Live cocktail demonstration • Signature cocktail inspired by the film • Cocktail history presentation • Audience tasting experience • Meet-and-greet with Joe Stinchcomb
Sample Event Flow
Reception & Cocktail Service Documentary Screening Conversation with Joe Stinchcomb and Antonio Tarrell Live Cocktail Demonstration Audience Q&A and Tasting Experience
Audience Capacity
50–250 attendees
Investment
Starting at $3,500+ Plus travel and hospitality expenses
Brand Activation Experience
Designed for spirits brands, hospitality groups, tourism organizations, conferences, and corporate partners seeking unique audience engagement opportunities.
Includes
• Documentary screening • Custom cocktail activation • Branded hospitality experience • Fireside conversation or panel discussion • Social media content creation opportunities • Photography and press engagement opportunities
Optional Enhancements
• VIP reception • Influencer activation • Bartender workshop • Brand ambassador training • Corporate hospitality experience
Sponsorship Investment
Starting at $10,000+
Black History Through Cocktails
A signature educational program exploring the overlooked contributions of African Americans to hospitality, entrepreneurship, and cocktail culture.
Includes
• Documentary screening • Presentation by Joe Stinchcomb • Educational discussion and audience Q&A • Resource guide • Cocktail demonstration
Ideal For
• Universities • Museums • Cultural centers • Public libraries • Corporate ERGs
Investment
Starting at $2,500+
EDUCATIONAL IMPACT
Participants will: • Explore the intersection of food, culture, and identity • Learn about Black contributions to hospitality and cocktail history • Examine entrepreneurship and community leadership • Engage in meaningful dialogue around representation and belonging • Discover how storytelling can build cultural understanding
HOST MARKETING TOOLKIT
All screening partners receive: • Official film poster • Film trailer • Event graphics • Social media toolkit • Press release template • Discussion guide • Speaker biographies • Approved event photography
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Presenting Sponsor
• Logo placement on event materials • Verbal recognition during program • VIP access and hospitality opportunities • Brand integration opportunities
Supporting Sponsor
• Event signage placement • Social media recognition • On-site activation opportunities
Community Sponsor
• Local promotional recognition • Community engagement opportunities For booking inquiries, partnership opportunities, and custom event packages, please contact Antonio Tarrell Films.
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
“Friday night’s after party at The Powerhouse is inspired by two of Tarrell’s projects… at the bar you can sample some of the drinks that caused the controversy in (I’m Not) Your Negroni.”
— Carey Miller, Film Mississippi
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Runtime: 22 minutes Aspect Ratio: 16:9 DCP: Yes Color Audio: Stereo Language: English Captions Available: Yes
CONTACT
Antonio Tarrell Films
Produced and Directed by Antonio Tarrell Email: antoniotarrellfilms@gmail.com Phone: 662-643-0282 Website: antoniotarrellfilms.com Instagram: @antoniotarrellfilms
FINAL NOTE
(I’m Not) Your Negroni explores what happens when hospitality becomes a vehicle for cultural memory, artistic expression, and difficult—but necessary—conversation.
CHEERS!!
© 2026 Antonio Tarrell Films. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this document or motion picture may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the copyright owner.