Academia Barilla Film Awards 2009
The awards ceremony was held on March 4, 2009. Documentary and fiction, the short films are all based on themes related to the culinary world. Discover all the winners and the short films awarded.
Storie di Cucina, or Stories from the Kitchen, was the name of this year’s Academia Barilla Film Awards with the role of the chef as the primary focus.
The final evening of the competition was held on March 4, 2009 in the Academia Barilla Auditorium.
Local government officials of Parma and numerous guests were in attendance.
The Academia Barilla Storie di Cucina Award was created to spread and promote Italian gastronomic culture by way of film.
Either documentary or fiction, the short films are all based on themes related to the culinary world.
The goal of the Award is to highlight Italy’s unique, regional food products and traditions.
The award presentation was hosted by Italian film critic Filiberto Molossi and television reporter Francesca Strozzi and was broadcasted on local TV. The Auditorium was filled with the sounds of hands clapping for the films selected by the award jury, lead by Gianluigi Zenti (President of Academia Barilla) and including Pietro Vignali (Mayor of Parma), Luca Sommi (Cultural Councilor of Parma), Andrea Zanlari (President of the Parma Chamber of Commerce), Filiberto Molossi (Film Critic), Giancarlo Gonizzi (Curator of the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library), Giampaolo Mora (President of the Food Museums of the province of Parma), Andrea Grignaffini ( Food and Wine Expert and Director of Spirito di Vino), Giacomo Agostini, (Director of the “Lino Ventura” Cinema Center of Parma), Rosangela Marchelli (Head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the Università degli Studi of Parma), Giorgio Orlandini (from the Accademia italiana della Cucina), Nicola Bindini (Academia Barilla Chef), Virginio Dall’Aglio (President of Mondo Piccolo Cinematografico), and Giovanni Martinelli (Director).
Applause was given to “Musica da cucina" - Music of the Kitchen, by Giuseppe La Rosa and Sara Filippelli from Pisa. The film was awarded a special mention by the jury for its creativity and fresh, youthful approach, well suited for the Web or other new media channels. The film, or rather the music video, is based on a traditional four-course Sicilian meal. In place of musical instruments, knives, whisks, ladles, pots and pans take center stage and are used to create this joyous meal.
Third place was given to “Comporre in cucina e architettura" - Composition in the Kitchen and Architecture by Roberto Dassoni of Piacenza.
This short film is based on an interview with Chef Filippo Chiappini Dattilo of the Antica Osteria del Teatro in Piacenza.
In the film, the chef discusses traditional Italian cooking and the incredible parallels between the creation of a dish and the design of a building. The architectural images captured in the film are rich in symbolism.
Second place was awarded to a film of fiction called “Frittata” by Silvia Rossi of Milan. The film depicts the surprise visit of the protagonist’s lively old grandmother, which turns into an impromptu cooking lesson. The excellent script sets the pace for the story of life’s hardships and the comfort of family culinary traditions.
And the 2009 Academia Barilla Film Award, decided by unanimous vote, was presented to “La variante Sultano" - The Sultano Variation, a documentary by Vincenzo Cascone of Ragusa.
The film explores the life, work and homeland of Sicilian Chef Ciccio Sultano.
It captures the spirit of people who work with food, especially those fortunate to be working in a place rich in history and local flavor.
The masterful script and elegant photography give life to the tastes and aromas of Sicily and the reflections of a great chef. This film is an ambassador of real Italian cuisine.
All of the award winners were given a glass plate designed by Italian artist Gaspare Gervasoni.
“Over the years, many images that make up Italian and international culinary history have come from films,” said Gianluigi Zenti, President of Academia Barilla. “For this reason, we believe it is important to continue to support the production of new movies that creatively address tradition and the values on Italian cuisine throughout the world.”
Between films, Giancarlo Gonizzi, the director of the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library, presented a number of books about food in Italian cinema.
The awards ceremony, part of the City of Parma’s Gusti d’Autore initiative, was a mix of both cinema and food from the Academia Barilla chefs. In fact, the audience was served a potato and onion frittata, inspired by one of the winning films.
The 2010 Academia Barilla Film Award is certain to be equally as an exciting and rewarding experience.
The winning films
