Once again, we have done our best to take the widest possible view of food in films. Therefore, this year we had to look far from home territory, for example considering places like Japan, Mexico, and Belize. There is also more emphasis on feature films and short movies. A brief introduction:

First, there is a distinction between documentaries and feature films. Starting with the documentaries: it is possible to make a rough division between the films that are critical of the system and films that expose some kind of food miracle. The critical documentaries are perhaps the most important: this year these include Raising Resistance (with a Q&A with the filmmaker), Seeds of Hunger, LoveMEATender (with a Q&A with the filmmaker) and Big Boys Gone Bananas!*. Films like these tell the story of the negative effects of food production. They provide us with tools to adapt our behavior and make the world a better place, but they are not very upbeat.

An important part of the philosophy of the Food Film Festival is that we must continue to enjoy creating a better world. The second category of documentaries are therefore focused on the pleasures of eating. For example, there are "haute cuisine” films about chefs, top restaurants, or a particularly exquisite dish. This year, this category includes Jiro Dreams of Sushi, A Matter of Taste, and the opening film, Mugaritz B.S.O. These three films are also being shown for the first time in the Netherlands and we, as part of the relatively young Food Film Festival, are very happy with these premieres!

Another pillar of the Food Film Festival philosophy is that food is culture. There is of course no medium where you can better see this than in the movies. In movies it is clear that food is always full of meaning: take the lemons in Lemon Tree, the desire for extravagant meals in Toast or the perfect bowl of noodle soup in the great classic Tampopo.

For the first time this year, we have further expanded the short film program. In Do It Yourself shorts, we focus on what we ourselves can and must do to make a better food system. Later this week, will there be a colorful collection of short films announced, so keep an eye on this site!