Last year, I reviewed one food related film that was playing during the Victoria Film Festival. This year, there were more! I could have gone to them all but what stopped me was what something more intriguing: I had to decide between drama or documentary, and that was a tough one. I chose the latter because of the environmental messages being delivered.

The impact food wastage has on a global scale (and shortage too) is very serious, and I thought the documentary, Taste the Waste, made many important points that are also applicable in North America too. This movie primarily focuses in on the European Union. Just because one item in a packaged unit going to market looks like a mutant, it really should not be disposed of. That would put the rest of the good products in that unit to waste. With moldy products, that makes sense.

Sadly, the look at the waste produced in eating establishments is not fully explored in this film. I hate to leave something behind that will only be put in a dumpster. I’ll try to take everything home, or finish that hard to manage last three bites. In this film, other details, like in what constitutes an expiry date, are explored.

A gastronomer can decide over what items are still at their best than an individual practicing business management. Even a grocer has to know their product in the fruit and vegetable section; I shudder to think how much of that material is tossed in favour for fresher stocks coming in. If there was more ‘food rescue’ going on, as this documentary suggests, many more people could be fed. In fact, all those struggling families failing to put dinner on the table every night can benefit.

Operations like the Mustard Seed Food Bank can do well to work with larger grocery stores to collect what cannot stay on the shelf. They can take those almost expired products to distribute to the needy. I think the idea makes sense if businesses want to truly give to the community. They have to stop thinking about money even with what I see in the grocery stores’ discount bins.

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The other film that I saw was Sushi, the Global Catch. I’ll have to admit that it affected me.

I was second guessing myself when I was at Shiki Sushi the next day, having dinner before my evening show. This movie explored the plight of the blue-fish tuna and how the sushi can be found in countries beyond Japan and North America.

The most interesting part of this documentary was with how some people think that they can package it up like a yogurt roll and sell it in State fairs. In my opinion: bad idea. The mass consumerism of sushi is explored with this documentary, and the ideas it presents are scary. That also includes the final segment which I found to be very Frankenstein.

Hagen Stehr’s CleanSeas operation is both creepy and unique at the same time, but does humanity have to interfere with Mother Nature just to sustain a breed of fish that is being overhunted to extinction? The film does not draw conclusions, and that’s what I really like. When this movie was over, I was left hungry for sushi. Instead of heading to a restaurant, I went home.

I encourage readers to visit this film’s official website and learn more for themselves. This year, the Victoria Film Festival organizers have outdone themselves. This one block of films will certainly get people talking and that’s one lasting impact the best movies can offer. Those are the types of movies that tends to win awards, and the Oscars are coming up soon.

Yesterday, even Spinnakers hosted an event that featured locally sourced food before participants went to see To Make A Farm. People interested in fine dining has Sip n’ Cinema, where a film is screened and audiences are invited to a bisto or tapa bar to sample some appetizers and talk about the film. I didn’t have the budget to participate this year, but next year, I’ll be ready!