Planet Food: Japan

Koto: The Last Service

November 2021 •English

After nearly 40 years in operation, the family-run Koto Japanese Restaurant is closing down. Over the course of its final service, the small Vancouver Island community bids farewell.

Clarissa & the King's Cookbook

March 2008 •English

Clarissa Dickson Wright tracks down Britain's oldest known cookbook, The Forme of Cury. This 700-year-old scroll was written during the reign of King Richard II from recipes created by the king's master chefs. How did this ancient manuscript influence the way people eat today? On her culinary journey through medieval history she reawakens recipes that have lain dormant for centuries and discovers dishes that are still prepared now.

Aldo Giannini: Pacific Theatre

January 2014 •English

Like many other young men of his generation, after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Aldo Giannini joined the Marines with little idea of what lay ahead. After training, he was quickly deployed overseas and fought in the bloody Battle of Tarawa, surviving with a shrapnel injury and the haunting memory of witnessing the loss of 3,250 U.S. lives. He went on to fight in other battles and returned home after 3 intense years of service. Nearly eight decades later, he still questions if winning the island was worth the price.

RUTZ: Global Generation Travel

January 2013 •Portuguese

A two and half month journey from Buenos Aires (Argentina) to Medellin (Colombia), through some of the most amazing places in South America, immersed in the Backpacker's culture.

JAPlan

January 1984 •German

A portrait of the German electronic band "Der Plan". Büld follows the band on their tour through Japan.

Theatre of Life

October 2016 •English

An extraordinary soup kitchen in Milan - the Refettorio Ambrosiano - run by internationally renowned chef Massimo Bottura and 40 of the world's best chefs including Ferran Adria, Rene Redzepi, Alain Ducasse, Daniel Humm and many others. All food served was made from the food waste of Expo Milano 2015. The film also tells the compelling story of several of the refugees and homeless the Refettorio served.

Nagasawa Masami x Mizukawa Asami: Hawaii Onna Jitensha Futari Tabi

December 2009 •Japanese

Lovely NHK TV show featuring friends Masami Nagasawa and Asami Mizukawa travelling by bicycle through Hawaii. Beautiful nature views of the island on this cute program aired back in 2009. Masami does not look nature friendly at all, cleaning and carefully examining vegetables and fruit before having a bite. But she looks very cute with long hair. Asami looks like someone I would like to be friends with, she is fun and loud and not as afraid of trying new things as Masami. Hawaii seen like this looks like paradise, especially the sunshine from the top of the mountain.

Hitchhiking to the Edge of Sanity

April 2017 •English

A look at the turbulent social upheaval of the early 1970s which follows an idealistic writer and his soon-to-be-married photographer friend as they set out to find their purpose via a terrifying road trip across the Sahara Desert.

Outsiders: Japan

March 2012 •English

Join Phil Morrison and James Robinson from Driftworks, Mitto Steele from MeiNoMai and Pieter Gouwy from Garage Portello on a mind blowing tour of the real drift scene in Japan and the culture behind it.

Philoxenia

March 2021 •English

Philoxenia is a short documentary highlighting the synergy between the Greek notion of philoxenia ("friend of the stranger") and Southern hospitality, as expressed through Birmingham, Alabama's Greek-owned restaurants. The film features six local favorite restaurants, two historians and, of course, a lot of mouthwatering dishes.

Champagne Safari

January 1954 •English

Travelogue/documentary follows newly married Rita Hayworth and Prince Aly Khan on their honeymoon trip through exotic locales.

The Automat

September 2021 •English

The 100-year story of the iconic restaurant chain Horn & Hardart, the inspiration for Starbucks, where generations of Americans ate and drank coffee together at communal tables. From the perspective of former customers, we watch a business climb to its peak success and then grapple with fast food in a forever changed America.

Journey to Kailash

August 2020 •Korean

Comida Callejera

December 2018 •Spanish

Dream Chasers

May 2003 •English

Japans tätowierte Helden

January 2024 •German

The Pizza City You've Never Heard Of

August 2021 •English

Disturbed that his hometown is typically overlooked on lists of the top pizza cities in the world, George Kalivas sets out on a road-trip exploring Windsor's most well-established pizza places. He's on a mission talking with suppliers, pizza joint owners and pizza enthusiasts about the essential characteristics that define and distinguish a true Windsor pie.

My Kid And Me

March 2014 •English

A travel documentary about Casey and his son, Owen.

André and His Olive Tree

August 2020 •English

Chef André Chiang is returning his Michelin stars, and has publicly declared that he is returning to his roots after 30 years. What would make him do so? How does the perfectionist define success? What haunts him at night? Following Chef André weeks before he officially closes his restaurant, we chart his emotional journey, and dive into nostalgic elements of his life. From how he first fell in love with cooking as a result of his mother’s influence, to the challenges that he faced when he first learnt cooking in France, we tell the story of a passionate and determined individual, now ready for the next season of his life.

Food, Inc. 2

April 2024 •English

Filmmakers Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo reunite with investigative authors Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser to take a fresh look at our efficient yet vulnerable food system.