“In The Food For Love” is the motto of the Berlinale’s 4th Culinary Cinema, which will be held from February 14 to 19, 2010. Eleven films revolving around the relationship between food and love, nature, and the environment will be presented in the movie theatre at the Martin-Gropius-Bau.

 

Following the 7:30 p.m. screenings in the main programme, star chefs Thomas Kammeier, Michael Kempf, Lea Linster, Christian Lohse, and Tim Raue will present dinners inspired by the films in the “Gropius Mirror” restaurant, a tent lined with mirrors (€49 for film and dinner). The late screenings (€7) at 10:00 p.m. will not be followed by a prix fixe dinner menu. The restaurant and bar will remain open for all festival guests from 23:30 till 2:00. For “Teatime” (Jan 15-16, 5:00 p.m., free entrance) topics will be explored more thoroughly. The complete programme can be downloaded here (only in German):
Kulinarisches Kino 2010, PDF (German) (2071 KB)

 

“The concept for the series has proven successful”, says Dieter Kosslick, “we show films that whet our audiences’ appetites and then we cook for them. Though we also show films that ruin their appetites, for instance, films that open their eyes to the catastrophic global food situation.”

At four late-night screenings (10 p.m.), social and ecological themes will take centre stage. In Chris Smith’s Collapse, former CIA agent Michael Ruppert sarcastically develops visions of a world without crude oil. BANANAS!* gives viewers insight into the scrupleless production of this tropical fruit by a large US company. Hannes Jaenicke will present his documentation Im Einsatz für Haie (Hannes Jaenicke´s Wildlife Underground: Sharks) and discuss with the audience how biodiversity can be sustained. A classic of Indian cinema is Manthan (The Churning), financed by 500,000 dairy farmers in 1976, that documents the formation of a milk producers’ cooperative. In the fifth late-night screening, Ki-chin (The Naked Kitchen) by Korean director HONG Ji-young, everything revolves around love again, though this time it involves a ménage à trois and a new restaurant.

 

Tilda Swinton will kick off the main programme with Io Sono L’Amore (I am Love) directed by Luca Guadagnino. Christian Lohse will cook a “Russian-Italian declaration of love” to honour the film, in which Tilda Swinton plays a Russian who marries into a rich Milanese family.

 

The Botany of Desire, adapted from the bestseller of the same name by Michael Pollan (Food, Inc.), reveals the clever strategies used by plants to reproduce themselves with the assistance of human passions. This documentary is being screened to mark the 20th anniversary of the Slow Food movement. For the occasion, Michael Kempf will braise Mecklenburg bison rump.

 

In Dastoor -e Ashpazi (Iranian Cookbook), Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Shirvani takes a look into the pots of six housewives who are cooking a meal at the end of a day during Ramadan. For Thomas Kammeier, it’s the inspiration for stewing a dish he calls “Docile Lamb”.

 

In the Chinese feature film Tuan Yuan by Wang Quan’an (Golden Bear 2007 for Tuya’s Wedding) a man visits his former lover whom he hasn’t seen for decades. They both still love one another, but she is now married with children. Tensions rise during ever-more extravagant meals. Star chef Tim Raue, a connoisseur of Chinese cuisine, will be cooking the famous "Buddha jumps over the wall" soup.

 

Renowned documentary filmmakers Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker observe a pastry competition in Kings of Pastry. Without a doubt, creating such fragile works out of sugar is an art requiring no words to express that love is sweet. Luxemburg chef Lea Linster will pay tribute to the film by making duck en croute.

At “Teatime” on February 16, the “Gropius Mirror” tent restaurant will serve “fruit salad”. Fredrik Gertten, the director of BANANAS!* will discuss his experiences with fruit companies, the alternatives, and fair trade. On February 17, at “Books to Cook”, two Berlin authors will present their recent works: Susanne Kippenberger will read from “Am Tisch” (“At the table”) and Yu Zhang from “Buddha sprang über die Mauer” (“Buddha jumped over the Wall”), a book about Chinese cooking. Free entry, participants must register in advance by e-mail:

 

At 9:30 a.m. on February 19, during “Young Culinary Cinema”, a discussion will be held on food and ecology with young people from Berlin’s Nelson Mandela School (private event). The film The Rainbow Warriors of Waiheke Island depicts the journeys of the first Greenpeace ship and how it was sunk. Intercontinental chef Alf Wagenzink and Wam Kat will create a meal for the occasion. Wam Kat has cooked at many big demonstrations over the years; he was also a member of the Rainbow Warrior crew. Repeat screening without food, for all festival guests at 4:00 p.m.

 

At 19:30 on February 19, the Culinary Cinema will be celebrating the 80th birthday of German actor Günter Lamprecht with the film Das Brot des Bäckers (Baker's Bread). The best Berlin bakers will bake oversized rolls, which will be served following the film.

 

The recipes of dishes for the films in the main programme will be available for download here by the opening of the Culinary Cinema. The basic rule of cooking applies here too, says Culinary Cinema director, Thomas Struck: “A love for food is the most important ingredient in creating food for love.”

 

Further programme highlights will be announced shortly.