Food film fans, here’s another festival right down your alley (after FoodCine.ma earlier this year). The first ever Golden Village Food Film Festival, which runs for a week in July, takes place at the GV cinema in Suntec City. Featured here are a selection of critically acclaimed food documentaries spotlighting everything from sake brewers to Michelin-restaurants to the art of perfecting sushi.
Take a look at the six titles on the line-up (and beware the major cravings coming your way, thanks to all that food porn).
Kampai! For the Love of Sake
Jul 21, 7.30pm and Jul 24, 4.30pm
This film offers viewers a glimpse into the world of sake through the eyes of three men — a British sake brewer with 25 years of experience in Japan, an American journalist with numerous sake guidebooks to his name, and the young head of a centuries-old Japanese sake brewery.
Ants on a Shrimp
Jul 22, 7pm and Jul 23, 4pm
If you’re not familiar with the name Noma, it’s a two-Michelin-starred restaurant by chef René Redzepi, with the prestigious title of ‘Best Restaurant in the World’ by Restaurant magazine in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014. In January 2015, the entire team moved from Denmark to Japan, taking on the hefty challenge of whipping up new dishes with foreign ingredients. Watch it all unfold in this behind-the-scenes account.
Tsukiji Wonderland
Jul 22, 9.10pm and Jul 27, 9pm
Meet some of the people working at the world-famous Tsukiji fish market, and listen to their tales of Japanese food culture and the current state of Tsukiji before it moves to a new site in Toyosu in November this year.
Sergio Herman F***ing Perfect
Jul 23, 2pm and Jul 24, 6.40pm
Oud Sluis was a three-Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by chef Sergio Herman in the Netherlands. It was constantly making appearances in the list of World’s 50 Best Restaurants until it closed for good in 2013. At the peak of his culinary career, Herman had the courage to shut down a successful business to go on the search for new ventures and seek perfection in them. This is the story of his sacrifice and ambition.
Foodies
Jul 25, 7pm
With the ever-growing interest in haute cuisine, this study of the ‘foodie’ brings you into the subculture of food blogging critics who have made it their mission to dine at the best restaurants around the world.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Jul 26, 7.30pm
Jiro Ono is hailed by many as the world’s greatest sushi chef — he’s the first one to receive three Michelin stars for his 10-seat restaurant called Sukiyabashi Jiro. Even Japan has pronounced him to be a national treasure. But at 85, which was when the documentary was filmed (he’s now 90), Jiro is still striving for more. And his son is feeling the pressure of living up to his legendary skills. Talk about family expectations.
The Golden Village Food Film Festival takes place from Jul 21-27 at Golden Village Suntec City, #03-373 Suntec City Mall, 3 Temasek Blvd. Opening night: $22 for GV Movie Club Members, $26 for non-members, each ticket includes a bottle of Utakata Sparkling Sake Yuzu; other screenings $13 for GV Movie Club members, $15 for non-members.
