CULINARY CINEMA AT PRAGUE IFF – FEBIOFEST 2021

The immensely popular special programme section called Culinary Cinema, again moderated by the one and only Jolana Voldánová, this year served the documentary Funke, which follows the American celebrity haute-cuisine chef Evan Funke. The screening at the Cinema City Slovanský dům was followed by an exclusive four-course menu created by masters of Italian cooking at the famous La Finestra in Cucina restaurant.

Funke, which had a successful premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival, is the feature-length debut by Gab Taraboulsy. The Montreal native started out as a film producer and assistant director, and since 2010 he has been directing short films. His second short, titled My First Movie (2011), won him the Honorable Mention as RBC Emerging Filmmaker at the Toronto IFF in 2011. Taraboulsy has also worked on a number of TV series.

The delicate four-course menu was created by chefs Tomáš Juřík, executive chef of the La Collezione network, which brings authentic Italian dishes and products to the Czech Republic, and the famous La Finestra in Cucina’s Patrik Fréhar. The first three courses, united under the headline VIVA BOLOGNA!, were mortadella-filled tortellini in lightly truffled meat broth; orecchiette grandi with ragout; and bucatini Cacio e Pepe, all completed by the final course called WE DO SPEAK AMERICANO – guanciale ice-cream with peanut parfait and Amarena sour cherries.

Other guests included one of the most prominent independent film producers in Europe Mike Downey and German film director Bastian Günther.