In preparation for the release of Julia & Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, I've been boning up on all things Julia.
Julia Child! America's Favorite Chef is a PBS documentary released in 2004. With interviews with Julia and commentary by Judith Jones, Jacques Pepin and Ruth Reichl it provides a nice peek into how Miss Julia McWilliams from Pasadena, CA became the French Chef we all knew and loved.
Coming in at one hour, it's short enough to pop in and watch with a glass of wine while you're waiting for dinner to finish in the oven.
Twenty six feature length and short films abound with topics as wildly varied as sandwich thieves, a love letter to buttermilk, Malaysian street food, New Jersey cranberries, hypnosis vs. junk food, mutton bbq, wild mushroom hunting, Peeps, Argentinian beef and truffles. Peruse the complete film list and schedule.
Big Night, one of my all time favorite films, is playing on June 18th at the South Street Seaport Water Taxi Beach (Pier 17). After I saw that Big Night, I became obsessed with making timpano. I eventually did make it for a holiday party and it was incredible. Instead of spending the better part of a day making your own, you can swing by and sample some while you watch the movie.
For all you mycology fans out there, the feature length film, Know Your Mushrooms, looks very cool. With music by the Flaming Lips it sounds great, too. It screens on June 14.
Would you believe admission to most of the events is free?
And that free samples of food relating to the films will be served?
A documentary film, Pressure Cooker, follows three Philadelphia high school students competing for culinary scholarships. The culinary arts instructor, Wilma Stephenson, is tougher than an over cooked steak but is legendary for getting her inner city students elevated to the world of fine dining.
Screening until June 4 at the IFC Center in New York City, Pressure Cooker will be opening in other selected cities across the U.S. over the next few weeks. View the screening schedule.
The following IFC Center screenings will include a Q&A session with the directors.
Mon 6/1:
5:30 Directors Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker
7:45 Directors Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker - Q&A with Jason Guerrasio,
presented by IndieGoGo and Filmmaker Magazine @ Internet Week NY
Tue 6/2:
7:45 Directors Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker
IFC Center : 323 Sixth Avenue at West Third Street, (212) 924-7771
Bonus: They serve organic popcorn at this theater!
