La Raccolta: Pictures from Paradise

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Want to see pictures from Paradise? Want to hear singing in Heaven? If you are in New York City on Wednesday, June 18, don't miss a chance to see the stunning film La Raccolta (The Harvest) being screened at the NYC Food Film Festival. Super Chef was fortunate to have a sneak peak. The film profiles the the Pandolfi-Elmi family who have been producing olive oil on their estate in Umbria, Italy for centuries. The filmmaker, Donna Lennard of Lunafilm interviews and follows a group villagers who have been harvesting olives by hand for 50 years. Olga, a sprite, older woman, defies her daughter and climbs the highest ladders to rake off the olives -- and sing. Her face, expression, and hands tell of a great love of the olive trees and the fine qualities of the olive oil they produce, appreciation for the outdoors, and the history of the area. The press release says: LA RACCOLTA (THE HARVEST), a film by Donna Lennard, offers a glimpse of the people, the landscape, and culture behind the olive harvest and the changing social fabric which threatens the future of this lyrical tradition. The architecture, food, and descriptions of the qualities of fine olive oil will make you famished and eager to travel to Umbria. Luckily, after the screening, filmmaker Lennard, who also owns il Buco Restaurant and il Buco Alimentare, an artisanal product line of olive oil, sea salt and vinegar imported from Italy, will be conducting an olive oil tasting. If you can't make the screening, you can buy a copy of the film by writing to ilbuco at ilbuco.com. Previous articles: [Food Flicks - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef