The Truffle Hunters (2020)

Releasing at February 11, 2021 in theaters

Documentary

The Truffle Hunters is documentary film directed and written by Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw. The film stars Piero Botto, Sergio Cauda, Maria Cicciù, Aurelio Conterno and Enrico Crippa. It primiered at January 30, 2020 on Sundance Film Festival.

Deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy, a handful of men, seventy or eighty years young, hunt for the rare and expensive white Alba truffle—which to date has resisted all of modern science’s efforts at cultivation. They’re guided by a secret culture and training passed down through generations, as well as by the noses of their cherished and expertly-trained dogs. They live a simpler, slower way of life, in harmony with their loyal animals and their picture-perfect land, seemingly straight out of a fairy tale. They’re untethered to cell phone screens or the Internet, opting instead to make their food and drink by hand and prioritizing in-person connections and community.

The demand for white truffles increases year after year, even as the supply decreases. As a result of climate change, deforestation, and the lack of young people taking up the mantle, the truffle hunters’ secrets are more coveted than ever. However, as it soon becomes clear, these ageing men may just hold something much more valuable than even this prized delicacy: the secret to a rich and meaningful life.

Directors: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw

Writers: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw

Stars: Piero Botto, Sergio Cauda, Maria Cicciù, Aurelio Conterno, Enrico Crippa

►Cast

Piero Botto

Sergio Cauda

Maria Cicciù

Aurelio Conterno

Enrico Crippa

Gianfranco Curti

Angelo Gagliardi

Egidio Gagliardi