Scott’s Top Devour Movie Picks

Scott’s Top Devour Movie Picks
By Scott Campbell

These are in no particular order and, other than The Hundred-Foot Journey, I’ve not seen any of these films. They made my list because of intriguing subject matter or a unique and enticing message that is being delivered. With the incredible Devour team hard at work all year and a bevy of incredible filmmakers, there really are no bad choices in any of the Devour Food Films. Here are the ones that I thought stood out for me:

• The Hundred-Foot Journey After a fatal tragedy, the Kadam family leaves India for a small town in southern France. Once settled they get to work on realizing their dream of opening a traditional, family-run Indian restaurant, 100 feet from a Michelin star classic French restaurant run by the indomitable Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren). The initial rivalry and cultural clashes succumb to their shared passion for food, and ultimately their lives and the sleepy little town are charmingly transformed.
• Atlantic screening with Straws Every year Devour invites students from regional schools to come to the Al Whittle Theatre to appreciate the cultural experience of attending a film festival and seeing important films related to health and community as part of our Scotiabank Big Picture Program. For this reason, and the fact that they sound like amazing short films, I chose these two films:

  Atlantic: This richly shot Canadian documentary explores coastal fishing communities in Newfoundland, Ireland and Norway as they wrestle with the effects of factory fishing fleets and deep water oil exploration.

  Straws: half a billion unrecyclable plastic straws end up in landfills, streets and beaches, but there’s a sea of change happening one straw at a time.

• Jacques Pépin: The Art of Craft: Okay, so I’m just a star-struck as they rest of you. There is no way I could let this one pass unmentioned. Considered by many as one of the greatest contemporary French chefs, Jacques Pepin came to America as a young man and has profoundly influenced generations of chefs, restaurateurs and home cooks. This warm and uplifting documentary charts his life from his early years in France to present day where, at 81, he is still cooking, travelling, and entertaining a host of new food lovers around the world.
• My final pick is actually a collection of short films that are going to be shown at the Lightfoot and Wolfville Winery. Each dish in this five-course dinner is inspired by a corresponding short film screened right in the beautiful new wine cellar of Lightfoot & Wolfville Winery with the diners. The films are:

  From Milpa to Mesa: The process of transforming heirloom corn from tiny farms across Mexico into tortillas for the world’s best restaurants and taco carts has never been more danceable.

  Dish: You’ll be surprised to see how much work can go into just one dish at a restaurant.

  Bari: On the streets of Bari, Italy, the mesmerizing secrets of pasta-making are passed from nonna to nonna. But who will carry on the tradition in the future?

  Bacon & Greens: A most lyrical look at some of Ireland’s staple foods: a flitch of boiled meat, potatoes, and greens.

  Fruit (Fruta): Don’t take your eyes off your kitchen counter for one second, you never know what your fruit might get up to.

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