• Home
  • Meetings
  • Events
  • Blog
  • E-Board
  • Around Boston
  • Join
Northeastern University's Film Enthusiasts Club
.

Thomas Richmond on The Truffle Hunters

3/22/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
While it might be hard to make a general audience care about something as rare and expensive as white truffles, The Truffle Hunters radiates a unique energy that permeates through the runtime, despite a lack of substantial material present in the film. The film focuses on a group of aging truffle foragers and their loyal dogs in Northern Italy. While there is also a narrative undercurrent of the truffle foraging practice becoming oversaturated and even potentially dangerous, the weight of the film rests on the shoulders of its quirky subjects, as watching these aging men and their companions traipse about the picturesque Italian countryside offers a great deal of enjoyment. Although, after the credits have rolled, it leaves a little to be desired. The greater point about a younger breed of truffle foragers running these men out of their jobs is mostly lost on the viewer, as that arc is much less developed than the foragers themselves, and the occasional scene involving the business-and-consumer-ends of the truffle industry feel fairly out of place, as they consume so little of the conversations and screen time of the film. 

The film in subject feels very similar to the documentaries of the Ross brothers, as it contains no narration or subject interaction with the filmmakers, but, unlike the Ross’ films, has a very refined and cinematic look. This makes for an interesting contrast between the formalist style and realist content, with moments at which one crosses over into the other, such as the scenes where one of the dogs has the camera mounted directly on them, or where the old men enact obviously very staged conversations and actions for the camera. While a documentary that remains either entirely dedicated to one or the other, such as 
45365 or Abbas Kiarostami’s Close-Up, may provide a more cohesive experience, the stylistic experimenting in The Truffle Hunters does not go unnoticed or unappreciated, as it is refreshing to see filmmakers Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw attempt to break free from the trappings of documentary conventions. While a bit scattered in both content and form, The Truffle Hunters manages to find moments of joy and interest in its subjects and keeps the viewers entertained throughout with occasional unconventional stylistic choice.

Score: ★★★ / ★★★★★
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    AJ Martin
    Andy Robinson
    Anime
    Anthony Formicola
    Anu Gulati
    Arjun Agarwal
    Arzu Martinez
    Ben Garbow
    Brandon Isaacson
    Brian Hamilton
    Carter Sigl
    Dan Simeone
    Discussion
    Elizabeth Johnson Wilson
    Eliza Rosenberry
    Emily Fisler
    Erick Sanchez
    Eric Tatar
    Essays
    Festivals
    Gabrielle Ulubay
    Haley Emerson
    Here's Some Movies
    Ian Wolff
    IFF Boston
    IFFBoston 2015
    Interviews
    Isaac Feldberg
    Kunal Asarsa
    Library
    Lists
    Marguerite Darcy
    Marissa Marchese
    Mary Tobin
    Meghan Murphy
    Mike Muse
    Mitch Macro
    Neel Shah
    Netflix Instant Watch
    Parth Parekh
    Patrick Roos
    Profiles
    Reviews
    Short Films
    Television
    This Week In Movies
    Tyler Rosini

    Want to Write for Us?

    Contact NUFEC President Ian Wolff at nufecblog@gmail.com if you're interested in writing for this blog!

    Archives

    April 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    October 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.