{"id":348223,"date":"2025-09-18T06:41:33","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T11:41:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/18\/a-film-feast-for-the-senses-in-the-italian-alps\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T06:41:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T11:41:33","slug":"a-film-feast-for-the-senses-in-the-italian-alps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/18\/a-film-feast-for-the-senses-in-the-italian-alps\/","title":{"rendered":"A film feast for the senses in the Italian Alps"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Between screenings, a\u00a0diverse lineup of gastronomic experiences, talks and theatre led our culinary horizons to new frontiers. Tastings of\u00a0<\/span>Fresa di Ittiri\u00a0<\/i>cheese from Sardinia and beer made of grape must derived from Moscato wine production are delicious reminders that an extensive network of independent producers and agricultural associations are the beating hearts behind Italy\u2019s world-renowned cuisine. More food for thought was given by actor Enrico Jacopo Testoni, as he presented a\u00a0modified performance (due to weather reasons) of\u00a0<\/span>Fame<\/i>, a\u00a0mix of staged culinary acts and a\u00a0monologue about food\u00a0waste.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, I\u00a0was most intrigued by a\u00a0single origin coffee showcase. It is to no one\u2019s surprise that Italy has a\u00a0deep-rooted coffee culture, but this long tradition has often limited how Italians see and drink the beverage. Erminia Nodari, the founder of the Slow Food Coffee Coalition, passed the pour-over brews around she prepared and emphasised that coffee did not have to be bitter like the ubiquitous espresso. When the crowd tasted the gentle acidity and maltiness in the drink, the excitement on their faces was palpable.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the break, I\u00a0set off to explore Bergamo\u2019s own gastronomic legacy. The verdant Alpine valleys nearby produce excellent cheeses and cold cuts, and warming polenta \u2013 local recipes call for a\u00a0bit of buckwheat mixed into the cornmeal \u2013 has been the carbohydrate of choice to combat the harsh mountainous climate. Given I\u00a0was already sweating wandering around, I\u00a0ordered\u00a0<\/span>casoncelli<\/i>, a\u00a0native filled pasta, for my lunch as I\u00a0sat down at the terrace of Trattoria La Colombina. Its bowtie shape was adorable, and the sausage and parmigiano filling was a\u00a0nice match for a\u00a0glass of red\u00a0wine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I skipped dessert at the restaurant because a\u00a0main checkpoint for my post-lunch\u00a0<\/span>passeggiata<\/i> was La Marianna, a\u00a0bar and cremerie that invented the stracciatella gelato in the 1960<\/span>s by adding swirls of chocolate into plain milk ice cream. When you have easy access to the exceptional milk coming from the Alps, a\u00a0bit of cacao is all that is needed to create a\u00a0bestselling treat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whereas most of these delicacies have a\u00a0rather lightweight following outside Italy, the Food Film Fest does its best to leverage the cultural currency of\u00a0<\/span>la cucina bergamasca<\/i> to help the city connect with kindred spirits abroad. This year, it spotlighted Santa Maria da Feira, a\u00a0fellow City of Gastronomy from Portugal, with a\u00a0documentary about its sweet bread varieties\u00a0<\/span>foga\u00e7a<\/i> and\u00a0<\/span>regueifa<\/i> and the related festive rituals. A\u00a0pre-show conversation between the cultural representatives of the two municipalities outlined the film\u2019s importance in giving Santa Maria da Feira the international exposure it needed. And it is by honouring culinary realities overlooked by dominant narratives that the festival finds its raison d\u2019\u00eatre.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n