The Foodie Film Festival pairs world cinema with culturally appropriate meals
Film | Jorge Ignacio Castillo | June 30, 2022
Foodie Film Festival
July 13–16
RPL Film Theatre
Not everyone wants to stuff their mouth with popcorn at the theatre. Some of us don’t see the point. That said, a gourmet dinner with a good movie sounds great.
This summer, the RPL Film Theatre and Regina Farmer’s Market will deliver that dream, if only for a few nights.
Feast Your Eyes: Foodie Film Festival pairs food-inspired feature films, shorts and documentaries with suitable meals. You can choose just to watch the film, but what’s the fun in that?
These are the combos. Napkins at the concession stand.
WEDNESDAY 13: TAMPOPO
Served with a bento box (regular or vegetarian) and ginger gimlet
One of the finest Japanese films of the last 40 years, you could say Tampopo is about a group of people struggling to create the perfect bowl of ramen, but that wouldn’t do it justice. The journey is punctuated by vignettes depicting the country’s relation to food. Keep an eye on a young Ken Watanabe. (7 p.m.)
THURSDAY 14: FLAVORS UNMISTAKABLY PART OF US, FILMS OF VICKI VAN CHAU
Spring rolls, pork and shrimp wontons and dip
Calgary-based filmmaker Vicki Van Chau’s short films focus on the Asian diaspora experience. One of her shorts included in the fest, Hearth of the Lion, tells the story of three brothers dedicated to mastering and combining Szechuan cooking and lion dancing. A Q&A with Van Chau follows the screening. (8 p.m.)
FRIDAY 15: GATHER
Buttered sage popcorn, frybread fingers and three dips, and wild rice maple truffle
This documentary by Sanjay Rawal portrays an ever-growing movement amongst American First Nations to reclaim their spiritual and cultural identities by reclaiming ancestral food systems. (7 p.m.)
SATURDAY 16: FROM SEED TO SEED
Charcuterie board, crackers and pickles
This doc delves into regenerative agriculture, specifically the small and large scale farmers that practice it and the cutting-edge science behind it that’s inspired by age-old traditions. The movement is a reaction to the impact of climate change on the farmers’ ability to grow food. The film will be followed by a Q&A with director Katharina Stieffenhofer. (3 p.m.)
SATURDAY 16: ULAM: MAIN DISH
Nato’s chicken, yellow rice, vegetable fritter and sesame sweet rice ball
Another nonfiction entry, this one focuses on the rise of Filipino food in America. It doubles as a validation of Filipino immigrants, not only in the U.S., but around the world. Director Alexandra Cuerdo will be at hand for a Q&A after the movie. (7 p.m.)
Each film will be preceded by a food-themed short. In addition, the Foodie Film Festival will include live music performances with the Chinese Lion Dancers at the Regina Farmer’s Market and before Flavors Unmistakably Part of Us on Thursday. There is also an online cooking workshop scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.