The Truffle Hunters (2021)
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The Truffle Hunters Movie Review
The Truffle Hunters is a 2021 Italian documentary film directed by Michael Dweck. It is one of the best documentaries of the year.
A group of aging men hunt in the woods in Northern Italy, for a prized quarry, the Alba truffle. This is one of those movies that are very specific and limited in scope and subject matter, but much deeper when you actually think about it. It depicts Northern Italy beautifully thanks to some gorgeous photography, but it also deals with very serious issues that plague our society.
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This people’s profession is a metaphor for small businesses that are taken over by the bigger ones. The movie is clearly an anti-capitalist message piece that also touches upon environmentalism and how people take advantage of natural resources only to gain profit.
But above all else, and this genuinely surprised me, the movie is a dog picture. Yes, the dogs are the stars here. Simply seeing how one of the villagers loves his dog endlessly and how he wants for her to go to a good owner after his death was so touching to witness. These dogs may serve their purpose to hunt these prized truffles, but they are also very much part of the family.
The Truffle Hunters is slower in pace, but still quite captivating to watch. It flies by how short and sweet it is. The directing is confident and Luca Guadagnino actually executive produced the movie, so he also should receive some credit for its circulation.
What I was missing here was more insight into these fungi. I know that truffles are the most prized mushrooms of them all, but I do not know much else about them. They should have focused more on their culinary properties and usage, but the movie’s attention on the lonely villagers and their dogs was still quite welcome.
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This section of the world continues to be beautifully represented on the screen, making me wish to go there. The editing here is also terrific as is the score. I loved those little moments with the villagers and their conversations among themselves and with their pets. The movie is so cozy and charming that it’s difficult not to appreciate.
