The first Food [in] Film discussion will focus on the Greek film Politiki Kouzina (2003)--A Touch of Spice, English Title--directed by Tassos Boulmetis.

Politiki Kouzina will be an amazing NetFlix or local video-store choice (be local, if you can!) and will take us on an adventure through beautiful landscapes of the Mediterranean with different spices and foods as our guide. The story in the film cleverly and sweetly uses food in metaphors, to propel emotions and emotional bonds forward, evoke and reference political strife and context, and even spotlights Food as a protagonist in and of itself. Tremendous history, exciting perspectives on the use of different spices in food, and a touching story awaits us--for those who have seen it already, perhaps you will agree that it is worth a second screening.

This film has special cultural significance to me (and my maternal, Greek heritage) and was released in cinemas during a period of my life when I was living in Thessaloniki, the northern city [and, perhaps, unofficial] capital of the Macedonian region of Greece. The geographic proximity to the Anatolian region of modern Turkey invite many influences from that region; one in which many Greeks still live, and with which a reciprocal influence between these two peoples is historically and currently recognized.

I will blog next Monday with my own thoughts and ideas inspired by the film, along with Sophia's film-inspired recipe, and hope you enjoy the escape this film can provide. We will touch on A Touch of Spice next week!