Meals on reels: This workshop will examine how food, film and society intersect

Food has been central to the human experience since time immemorial and cinema has further reinforced this idea Now at a workshop the two ideas will converge in the course of a conversation set within the social milieu ldquoWe are the only species that sees food not just for subsistence but as an art formrdquo says Swati Jena community captain of Dialogues with Cinema MeetUp which is organising the eventIrrfan Khan in a scene from The LunchboxThe conversation will focus around the idea of a selection of films where food is central to the plot The audience is recommended to join after watching the list of films suggested in order to have a freeflowing discussion The session will be hosted by Aamatullah Rajkotwala who runs a film club theshapeofcinema_ and will speak about the relationship that food and cinema hold in the larger aspect of the plot and society as a wholeMeryl Streep in the film Julie and JulialdquoThe reason for choosing these films was largely because of their accessibility and that their plots are driven by food Films like Ratatouille and Chef are themed on restaurants and have been loved over the years In films like Julie and Julia and The Lunchbox we gauge gender roles and how cooking in many ways is an expression of loverdquo comments JenaSome of these eclectic films focus on various aspects of cultural values that are embedded within these plots like Spirited Away and Hundred Foot Journey which help in understanding the global value of food and culture The workshop will give much needed insight into the workings of the kitchen and its impact on sociocultural wealth of the communityAamatullah RajkotwalaldquoThis is an audiencedriven discussion we are looking for an openended conversation at this session It stays with the idea of expanding a deeper understanding of film text and the worldrdquo says JenaOn October 31 830 pm onwardsLog on to insiderinWhatrsquos your food and film quotientQuestions1 Who directed The Lunchbox2 Which chef guides Ratatouille in his journey into the culinary arts3 Who is the character of Meryl Streep based on in the movie Julie and Julia4 What cuisine is highlighted in the film Chef5 Who plays Madame Mallory in Hundred Foot JourneyAnswers1 Ritesh Batra2 Augusta Cousteau3 Julia Child4 Cuban5 Helen Mirren