Bagging groceries might seem like uninspiring work to some people, but Piedmont-based filmmaker Justine Jacob disagrees.

Her new documentary, "Ready, Set, Bag!" follows eight grocery store baggers from around the country as they prepare for and compete in the 2007 National Grocers Association's Best Bagger Contest in Las Vegas.

The contestants, ranging in age from 17 to 50, try to win the national title by packing grocery bags with superhuman speed without breaking eggs, crushing bread or cracking glass bottles. As the film follows their journeys, it provides insights into the values and struggles that define working-class America.

The 80-minute film premiered at the 2008 Los Angeles film festival and will be shown in over 50 cities over the next year, beginning with screenings in Berkeley (Nov. 3 and 4), El Cerrito (Nov. 5), and San Francisco (Nov. 19).

The film screenings include an unusual twist: Jacob plans to raise food and money for local food banks everywhere the film is shown.

"I think we often take for granted that everyone can go to the supermarket," she said, when in reality some people can't afford to buy the food they need. Partnering with food banks helps connect an entertaining film with "a larger issue — being able to feed people in general," Jacob said.

In Berkeley and El Cerrito, if you bring two or more canned goods to donate at the screening, the Mechanics Bank is sponsoring a $1 discount on

the ticket price and the theaters are providing a 50-cent discount on popcorn. The canned food will be donated to the Alameda County Community Food Bank for the Berkeley screening; the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano for the El Cerrito screening; and the San Francisco food bank for the San Francisco screening. The Mechanics Bank is also donating $1 to the local food banks for every ticket sold in Berkeley and El Cerrito.

Unlike many documentary films, which can leave you feeling guilty, angry or frustrated about an issue, "Ready, Set, Bag!" is a high-energy and optimistic look at both a quirky national contest and our national character.

"People who see it really, really enjoy it and have a good time," Jacob said. "There's lots of wonderful documentaries that deal with pretty serious issues, and we love the fact that our film is fun and enjoyable and you laugh, and people walk away feeling really good, which is rare from a documentary. It's not an environmental film, no dolphins were harmed in the film, no one's going to cry. It's really about feeling good."

A trailer for the movie can be seen online at www.readysetbag.com. To promote the independent film, Jacob also plans to temporarily make the entire film available online for free after the Bay Area screenings. She hopes viewers who like the film will then request screenings in their own communities to help fund it.

"We believe that there's an intelligent audience that wants to see a diverse group of films," Jacob said, "and that's going to take support from the audience."