Food Film Menu 2023
– 1st Prize –
Winner of the category:
Educating for Our Future
Synopsis
Short film from Saimaa, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2024
Step into the world of a 10-year-old Finnish girl as she takes us through her precious day. From gathering wild treasures of mushrooms and berries to learning the art of bread-making, she shares her family’s culinary traditions. Through her eyes, we witness the seamless passage of these traditions, where food and nature intertwine.
Credits
Original title: Harvesting Memories
Production date: August 2023
Producer:
Visit Karelia
Producer / Writer:
Minna Rautiainen-Cimrin
Director / Writer / Cinematographer / Editor:
Ukko Torni
Camera:
Olavi Kuokkanen
Music:
Sari Kaasinen
– 2nd Prize –
Winner of the category:
World Region of Gastronomy
Synopsis
Short film from Manabí, World Region of Gastronomy candidate 2026 (Ecuador)
This journey is more than a gastronomic tour; it is a voyage into Manabí’s identity, tradition, and culture. With a blend of tradition and innovation, the Latitude Iche Route is an invitation to explore the flavours, aromas, and techniques that make this region a unique culinary destination. As part of an integrated gastronomic ecosystem, this route promotes sustainability, local development, and culinary excellence, elevating Ecuador’s Manabí gastronomy to the global stage.
Credits
Original title: Ruta Latitud Iche: Una travesía por los sabores de Manabí
Production date: November 2022
Director:
Juanka Castillo
Executive Producer:
Orazio Belletini
Cinema Film Producer:
David Gil
Camera Operator:
Christian Benavides
Sound:
Juan Diego Castillo
Writer:
Juanka Castillo
Drone:
Christian Benavides
Editors:
David Gil
Christian Benavides
Juanka Castillo
– 3rd Prize –
Winner of the category:
Health and Well-being
Catalonia Is Appetising
Synopsis
Short film from Catalonia, World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025
“It is in breaks that innovation grows. Stop, think, plan. And then produce.”
This phrase by Ferran Adrià will guide Maria, Núria, Cesc and Marc on their journey/reunion in Catalonia, the land that saw them grow emotionally and culinarily. To know where you are going, you have to know where you are coming from, and in Catalonia they will experience the tastiest break of their lives. Join them!
Credits
Original title: Catalunya ve de gust
Production date: September 2022
Key cast:
Núria Florensa (Maria)
Silvia Maya (Núria)
Marcel Puig (Marc)
Uri Callau (Cesc)
Director:
Blai Graell
Original idea:
McCann Creative
Directors:
Laura Marco
Ana Brossa
Copy:
Gerard Jaurena
Art Director:
Denisse Guidi
Account team:
Alba Cristòbal
Laia Inés
A production of:
Craft i Sr. Alce Films
Executive Producers:
Marta Medall
Mikel Ayesta
Elisabet Tripiana
Producing Chief:
Josep Pi
Producers:
Jordi Peñalver
Paco Muñoz
Emilie Lepot
Director’s assistant:
Marta Castellà
Photography director:
Roger Llonch
Photography:
Tim Adorf
Stylist:
Natalia Vega
– Public’s Favourite Film –
Winner of the category:
Young Chef Ambassadors
Synopsis
Short film from South Aegean, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2019
Young chef Aikaterini Gonidaki, who represented South Aegean, European Region of Gastronomy 2019 at the European Young Chef Award 2022, shows her personal journey in cooking, from her childhood to her current work as a professional cook. From Patmos to Kos. With a dish that has marked all her life: Kakavia! The fishermen’s food. Her family’s food. So simple, but truly delicious and nutritious. In this video, we watch the evolution of this dish, along with Aikaterini’s life, always with a deep respect for the tradition and the excellent ingredients of the Aegean Sea.
Credits
Original title: Η Αποκάλυψη του Αιγαίου
Production date: October 2022
Director / Editor:
Yiannis Glinatsis-Reisis
Cinematography / Colour Grading:
Michael Patakos
Aerial Video Kos:
Giannis Makarounas
Aerial Video Patmos:
Isidora Krikri
Production Manager:
Manti Zarafoniti
Monologue:
Maria Sgouridou
Xristos Tsitsis
Monologue translation:
Vasiliki Venizelou
Voice-over:
Martha Mitsikosta
Key Cast:
Aikaterini Gonidaki
Giannis Kypraios
Vangelis Kypraios
Andreas Tsitsis
Magia Margariti
Winner of the category:
European Region of Gastronomy
A Year Celebrating Galway’s Gastronomy
Synopsis
Short film from Galway-West of Ireland, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2018
A look back at 2018, celebrating Galway-West of Ireland as the European Region of Gastronomy. This award celebrated the region’s deep-rooted food culture with countless flagship events and festivities.
The award allowed Galway-West of Ireland to share its culinary culture and heritage with the world. There is a strong pride shared amongst the food community in the region. The year brought people together to connect and collaborate to showcase Galway-West of Ireland as a foodie destination.
Credits
Original title: A Year celebrating Galway’s Gastronomy
Production date: June 2019
Commissioned by and produced for:
Galway-West of Ireland, European Region of Gastronomy 2018
Producer:
Heavy Man Films
Winner of the category:
Food and Craft Gifts
Gold from the Island Kingdom
Synopsis
Short film from Trondheim-Trøndelag, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022
Rumours of several exclusive food treasures on the islands of Hitra and Frøya (Trondheim-Trøndelag, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022) lead to an extensive treasure hunt. With the help of a map, the hunters succeed in finding such treasures, and the Smaker fra Øyriket network collects all of them in one treasure chest named Gold from the Island Kingdom.
The food gift Gold from the Island Kingdom received the Best Tasting award in IGCAT’s World Food Gift Challenge 2022.
Credits
Original title: Gull fra Øyriket
Production date: August 2023
Director / Writer / Producer:
Håvard Dyrø
Subtitles:
Elisabeth Antonsen Dyrø
Film Crew:
Ramsalt Reklame og Design
Photography:
Håvard Dyrø
Sound:
Vidar Dyrø
Key Cast:
Gøran Kjønnøy
Food Producers:
Emil Fjeldberg Elshaug (Dolmøy Seafood)
Mona Nynes (Hitra Gårdsmat)
Tommy Aas (Bryggeriet Frøya)
Vidar Garnvik (Garnviks Røkeri)
Marianne Farstad (DalPro Gårdsmat)
Winner of the category:
Feeding the Planet
Synopsis
Short film from Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2021
Bees are a source of life, since they enable the survival of mankind and the continuation of life on our planet. The Beekeeping Centre of Slovenia showcases the long beekeeping tradition of Slovenia and strives to preserve the remaining bee population, with a special focus on the autochthonous Carniolan honey bee as an essential part of the Slovenian natural and cultural heritage.
Credits
Original title: Slovenija – dežela čebelarstva in kranjske čebele
Production date: January 2022
Publisher:
Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association
Public Advisory Service in Beekeeping
Video production:
Video in foto produkcija, Nejc Travnik s.p.
Funded by:
Program of the Public Advisory Service in Beekeeping
Winner of the category:
Innovation, Creativity and Job Opportunities
Second Chances
Synopsis
Short film from Menorca, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022
Thanks to the initiative of Caritas and the former restaurant Ca n’Aguedet, Pere Pons, a long-term unemployed man, regains hope of being able to enter the world of work. By showing the more human side of producers and chefs, the character manages to turn his life around.
Credits
Original title: Segones Oportunitats
Production date: August 2023
Producer:
Bendito Studios
Key Cast:
Pedro Morlá
Winner of the category:
Balanced and Sustainable Tourism
Visit Via Selinuntina, Sicily, Italy
Synopsis
Short film from Sicily, European Region of Gastronomy candidate 2025
With its historical, natural and traditional treasures, Via Selinuntina (Sicily, Italy) is ready to welcome sustainable and responsible tourists in every season.
Credits
Original title: Visit Via Selinuntina, Sicilia
Production date: October 2022
This promotional video was produced by CISP (Comitato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo dei Popoli) as part of the CROSSDEV project.
CISP leads the CROSSDEV project – Cultural Routes for Sustainable Social and Economic Development in Mediterranean – co-funded by the European Union through the ENI CBC MED Programme (2019-2023). The project, implemented in Italy, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine by 7 partners turns sustainable tourism into a tool to highlight cultural, historic, architectonic and natural heritage of less-known areas in the Mediterranean so to promote their socioeconomic development.
Winner of the category:
Linking Urban and Rural
Synopsis
Short film from Kvarner, European Region of Gastronomy candidate 2026
In 30 seconds, the promotional film shows Kvarner’s basic philosophy in gastronomy, which is that indigenous, fresh foods are the basis for a farm to table approach, i.e. from sea to table. Fresh, from the Kvarner bay scampi are brought to the restaurant, where they are prepared by a young, famous chef. Vineyards and wines are shown, with a detail of the ripening of local sparkling wines under the sea. Then the enjoyment of food is displayed in several locations. In the end, the couple in love, with a playful dog, sitting by the sea, in untouched nature, open sparkling wine, enjoying the end of the day and the sunset.
Credits
Original title: It’s All About the Taste!
Production date: August 2023
Produced by:
Filmerija and Kinoteka for Kvarner Region Tourist Board
Director / Editor:
Sanjin Stanić
Producers:
Ljubo Zdjelarević
Sanjin Stanić
Writers:
Edi Mužina
Sanjin Stanić
Director of fotography:
Hrvoje Franjić
Winner of the category:
Best Young Director
Synopsis
Short film from Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2021
Slovenia is a small country with a big heart. Its name has the word love in it, and it is because of love that the story of An Apple, a Bee and a Tree was born. Nature, tradition, heritage and sustainability. All these elements have come together in this film which is a new chapter in the story of an old fruit variety, the sevniška voščenka (the Sevnica waxed apple).
The film presents the sustainable Čeberol’ca product, which is a natural and reusable food wrapper and is recognised as a kitchen utensil. It is also part of the An Apple, a Bee and a Tree package, which won the Most Ecological Choice award in IGCAT’s World Food Gift Challenge 2023.
The play is set in a scenographic Slovenian landscape in a traditional house covered with a straw roof. In the distance, hills rise up and vividly outline the countryside. The story focuses on a recipe that includes an old variety of fruit and incorporates it into the use of Čeberol’ce. In the morning the mother sends the boy to nearby farms to gather the ingredients required for making an apple tart. In a basket of goodies he brings butter, cottage cheese, eggs, honey. Then they start preparing it together. In the evening, they gather around the farm table with their friends and enjoy.
The story demonstrates the various uses of the natural beeswax wrap. Wrapping, covering, protection, multi-purpose accessory. The natural beeswax wrap is a living thing, because we can awaken it by squeezing it in warm hands. The heat softens the beeswax, making the fabric soft and kneadable. It is easy to stretch over containers of different sizes, over glasses and cups, around fruit, vegetables, sandwiches and similar snacks. The Čeberol’ca beeswax wrap is made from materials that have been carefully selected with environmental impact in mind. All of these materials are suitable for contact with food, and at every step of its creation we have been careful to minimise the impact on living and non-living elements of nature – village beekeepers provide the beeswax, the fabrics are sourced from small family businesses, the dyes are foraged from nature, and we only use wood from fruit trees that are available after rejuvenation and pruning old orchards.
Credits
Original title: Voščene zgodbe
Production date: April 2023
Writer:
Tjaša Mesinger
Producer / Director:
Jani Leskovec
Editor:
Nik Lavrič
Key Cast:
Tanaj Ribič (boy)
Tjaša Mesinger (mother)
Mario Ribič (father/beekeeper)
Tinkara Kozole (Herbalist)
Annemarie Culetto (Milkmaid)
Music:
It Looks Like The Future, But It Feels Like The Past by Doctor Turtle
Location:
Francka’s house – Franckina hiša (Slivnica pri Celju)
Our Jury
The category winners of the Food Film Menu 2023 have been selected by an international jury of experts: