Tag Archives: Documentary

08.10.16
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Identifying “Sour Grapes” is Not Easy; Documentary Premiere @ VanCity Aug 12

Sour-Grapes-Rudy
August 12
Vancity Theatre
1181 Seymour St.
Vancouver, BC

  • Spoiler Alert

Not to be confused with the 1998 comedy, there’s a new Sour Grapes. This documentary is touring the festivals and art house theatres and it had its world premiere at Hot Docs. It is now making its way to Vancouver for its official Western Canadian Premiere, opening August 12 at Vancity Theatre in Vancouver. The City of Victoria had a prestigious showing during Feast, Food and Film with local winemakers de Vine offering tastes of both this sparkly film and local cheeses.

This feature by Jerry Rothwell and Reuben Atlas slowly but surely examines the personality behind one of the world’s greatest wine frauds. Rudy Kurniawan was not caught until March of 2012 where he was indicted for allegedly selling fake wines at auction. Many bottles made in the Burgundy region of France were relabelled and sold as expensive wines, like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Clos St. Denis.

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05.14.16
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Bug Appetite! Bugs on the Menu Victoria Debut and Where to Eat Them!

Bugs_on_the_Menu_-_The_Vic_Poster_for_Web_2_250f94b0a36d369d5b4497e974f0aed8

The Vic Theatre
808 Douglas Street.
Victoria, BC

May 15, 2016, 7pm

Bugs on the Menu is a very eye-opening documentary about entomophagy, the art of eating insects. While not everyone like the-the idea of snacking on, for example, crickets, other countries around the world are already preparing it in culinary ways. In a grander sense, not every culture has the infrastructure required to raise farm animals like chickens, pigs and cattle (the big three) for feeding a civilization. When compared to the smaller environmental and ecological footprint required to cultivate these smaller creatures, the evidence of which is easier to grow is very clear.

This film began with a discussion of water conservation, and the massive droughts that some parts of the world face. Before I knew it, the discussion about how insects can be made as a new food source was in full force. It also makes a very compelling argument for changing over to a different organism to sustain a growing population, and in what I liked, just where people can go to try these insects is peppered throughout the film. When prepared right, they can add spice to any dish, including rice!

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02.11.16
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[VFF ’16] How to Achieve Perfection with Chef Sergio Herman, A Documentary Review

poster3Victoria Film Festival
Sat, Feb 13th, 8:45pm
The Vic Theatre
808 Douglas St.
Victoria, BC

Sergio Herman’s high standards of cooking, gastronomy and culinary presentation is very prominent in the documentary of his life, Sergio Herman: F***ing Perfect. As former head chef and owner of Oud Sluis, a 3-star Michelin rated restaurant in Sluis, Netherlands, he pushed his staff to excel at what they do. He was not harsh or cruel like Chef Ramsay. Like him, they are both superstars in this culinary world. While Gordon Ramsay went on to achieve celebrity status in television, Herman never had the time to put his face on any other screen.

In the documentary, the last years of his time at the Oud are looked at. He talks about his struggles with trying to maintain a family (he has four children) and keeping up with two restaurants at the time. He admits to being a workaholic. It’s a virtue engrained in him when he apprenticed at the Oud when his father was head chef. He inherited the operation and to put closure on this chapter on his life was difficult. The film nicely highlights the issues he faced and spices up the story with teases of delectable meals he makes. From traditional dishes like langoustines à la nage to experimental like having a sea urchin shell filled with cream of rutabaga, the seafood lover will be salivating!

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02.06.16
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[VFF ’16] The Sandwich Nazi, A Documentary Review

viff2015sandwichnaziLa Charcuterie
19080-96th Avenue Unit 8
Surrey BC V4N 3R3
(604) 882-0881

Saturday, Feb 6th 6pm
The Vic Theatre
808 Douglas St,
Victoria, BC

A trip to the industrial neighbourhood of Port Kells in Surrey, BC is needed to experience Salam Kahil’s capricious if not salacious behaviour in The Sandwich Nazi. Yes, the allusions to Seinfeld are there, and if the two had to be compared, Kahil is funnier. The size of the sandwiches he makes must be noted. They look huge and to finish it in one sitting must be a feat!

Kahil, an immigrant from Lebanon, is the focus in director-producer Lewis Bennett’s documentary. He was once a male escort and while the first act spends too much time on his escapades, thankfully all that changes halfway when viewers learn there’s more to him than meets the eye.

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02.04.16
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[VFF ’16] Going Behind the Counter with The Sandwich Nazi, An Interview with Lewis Bennett

viff2015sandwichnazi

The Sandwich Nazi
Saturday, Feb 6th 6pm
The Vic Theatre
808 Douglas St,
Victoria, BC

Although a car is needed to get to Surrey, BC to visit La Charcuterie Delicatessen, a deli and Scandinavian grocery store in an industrial neighbourhood known as Port Kells, thankfully to get taste of what goes on there can be seen around the world. The Sandwich Nazi is an aptly titled documentary that looks at the scandalous life Salam Kahil, the owner and operator of this establishment. At Two Hungry Blokes, we’re eying the size of those sandwiches that’s made than the owner’s ballsy attitude. Until we can get there, Ed had the opportunity to communicate with Lewis Bennett, who decided to turn the life of this deli operator into a hilarious film!

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02.06.15
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[VFF’15] “Gone South” to Look at the Rise of Hollywood, A Review

GoneSouth-Poster-11x16.75Feb 6 • 6:00pm
The Vic Theatre

Special Guest in Attendance: Director Ian Ferguson

The documentary Gone South: How Canada Invented Hollywood is a very informative and tongue in cheek look at a different kind of invasion that’s still infiltrating the entertainment industry today. It’s only fitting that this movie is part of the opening night of movies to start the 2015 Victoria Film Festival. This movie is part of the Canadian Wave program.

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