(2010, Japan, 125 min., Japanese w/ES)
Director: Shuich Okita
An Antarctic research station is possibly the last place someone would think of as the setting for a foodie movie. But that’s how the story unfolds in this adaptation of the autobiographical novel by Jun Nishimura, a Japanese Coast Guard chef sent to one of the most isolated kitchens in the world for 12 months. As eight men struggle to carry out daily mundane tasks in an environment of sub-zero temperatures, darkness and endless Arctic tundra, their meals become the focal point of existence. The film takes great care in acknowledging the thought, preparation and presentation of dishes ranging from foie gras to hand-cut noodles, acknowledging and appreciating the role that food plays in the emotional journey of the crew. Imagine the voluptuous gastronomy of Babette’s Feast and Tampopo blended with the cold, hard world of Nanook of the North – with just a bittersweet dash of Like Water for Chocolate.
