Fourth Annual NYC Food Film Festival!

The fourth annual NYC Food Film Festival is taking place this year, from June 23rd to June 27th! Considering NYC is such a foodie town, it certainly makes sense that there’d be a food-centered film festival there.

Here’s the lineup as of right now:

Beer Wars
Dir. Anat Baron – 90 mins website
An amazing journey into the heart of corporate beer and the small independent brewers it leaves in its wake.

The Bread Maverick
Dir. Sabine Bauer & Annette Maser – 45 mins
A portrait of Roswitha Huber of Austria and her passion for bread baked in wood-burning ovens.

The Chef’s Letter
Dir. Sybil H. Mair – 14 mins website
A successful chef is overwhelmed by unrequited love.

Down The Block
Dirs. Adam Abada & Reed Adler – 4:55 mins website
Adam, winner of the Made in NY Award at last year’s Festival, returns with an eating tour of the block he lives on.

Eating Right
Dir. Alison Perelman – 5:39 mins
Explores the ways political campaigns use food, primarily diner photo ops, to connect with voters.

Etiquette
Dir. Bob McKenna – 4:40 mins website
Named for the French meaning of the word for ‘label’, this animated short montage explores the ubiquitous produce sticker.

Fast Food
Dir. Jonathan Fahn – 12 mins
Goons from Scorcese movies take over a fast food joint.

Florent: Queen of the Meat Market
Dir. David Sigal – 87 mins website
A loving tribute to restaurateur Florent Morellet, his 24-hour NYC diner, and its extensive family of patrons. Includes interviews with Julianne Moore, Christo, and Isaac Mizrahi.

Flowers, Fruit, Sugar, and Spices
Dir. Valeria Cavagnetto and Teresa Rocco – 24 mins
A profile of the Pietro Romanengo Company, the oldest continuously operating confectioner in Europe. The Romanengo family has been making candied fruits and stone-ground chocolates for over 200 years.

In De Keuken (In The Kitchen) – La Paix
Dir. Erwin Bruyninckx – 33 mins website
A professional chef and two home chefs in Belgium follow identical recipes with differing results.

Ipoh Invasion – Ginger Balls and Popiah S.S. Ali
Dir. Adly Rizal, Mohd. – 9 mins website
Our food-crazy friends from Malaysia are back with a visit to the city of Ipoh. This time the focus is on Ginger Beef Balls and the tasty snack Popiah.

It’s Grits!
Dir. Stan Woodward – 45 mins website
Over 30 years ago veteran filmmaker Stan Woodward rambled through the South gathering opinions on the subject of grits. Shot in the black-and-white cinema-verite style of his contemporary D.A. Pennebaker, this must-see classic is the definitive film on the subject. (screening out of competition)

Just a Drizzle of Oil and Lemon: Michael White
Dir. Jeff Zalaznick & Jamie Meyer – 3:33 mins website
A glimpse in to the character of Chef Michael White and his new NYC outpost Marea.

The Mud and the Blood
Dir. George Motz – 12 mins trailer
Collecting and roasting oysters is a specialty of the South and one of the best places to enjoy this Southern treat is the Lowcountry of South Carolina. (screening out of competition)

Naturally Risen
Dir. Michael Evans – 4:46 mins website
Straight-up pizza porn that follows the process of pizza making at Anthony Mangieri’s now-defunct Una Pizza Napoletana.

Night Market Taipei
Dir. Ajay Balakrishnan – 3 mins
Pig’s Blood Popsicle anyone? This portrait of the night market in Taipei is inspirational.

Obsessives: Knifemaker
Dirs. Meredith Arthur and Eric Slatkin – 14:30 mins website
A portrait of Brooklyn knifemaker Joel Bukiewicz and his custom-made chef’s knives.

Obsessives: Soda Pop
Dirs. Meredith Arthur and Eric Slatkin – 13 mins website
Get to know John Nese, the owner of Galco’s Soda Pop Stop in Los Angeles, and his lifelong obsession with independent soda-makers.

Obsessives: Urban Farmer
Dirs. Meredith Arthur, Eric Slatkin, and Blake Smith – 12:41 mins website
A short doc about Novella Carpenter, an urban farmer that commandeered a vacant lot next to her Oakland home to build a full-blown farm with goats, ducks, pigs and a robust garden.

An Ordinary Woman
Dir. Debra Zarne 1 min website
This woman is cooking up something special.

Pasta Titles
Dir. Graham Burns – 2:19 mins website
Beautiful food porn that celebrates the cooking and eating of pasta.

The Perfect Oyster
Dir. Craig Noble – 6 mins website
There really is no one who can wax poetic about oysters like Brent Petkau. 2008 NYC Food Film Festival Feature Film Awardwinner Craig Noble returns with this portrait of a man and his oysters.

Pork Chop
Dir. Thomas Barnes – 9 mins website
A narrative slice of life about a girl in Hong Kong with secret desires.

Robert Box – Perfect for the Kitchen
Dir. James Reford – 4:55 mins
Robert Box paints, and everyday kitchen items are his muse.

Smokes & Ears
Dir. Joe York – 19 mins website
Another beauty from the world of award-winning filmmaker Joe York. In his latest stop (in Jackson, MS) we learn from the regulars just how great a pig’s ear sandwich can be.

Squid Chips
Dir. Nora Tennessen – 6 mins
After watching this short black ‘n white doc, you’ll want squid chips too.

What’s Virgin Mean?
Dir. Michael Davies – 2 mins website
Sometimes little questions need big answers…

Widow’s Hole Oysters
Dir. Liza de Guia – 6 mins website
Meet Oysterman Mike Osinski whose Greenpoint, Long Island oysters are so local that they go from water-to-table in NYC in the same day.

Working The Miles
Dir. Joe York – 14 mins.
A visual portrait of a Gulf of Mexico oysterman and his wife.

Check out last year’s round-up video to get an idea.