When I saw Tran Anh Hung’s “The Pot-au-Feu” at Cannes, I figured this deliciously sumptuous film would have a strong festival presence in the fall. Today, we learned that it’ll screen at NYFF and, probably, Telluride.
The film stars Juliette Binoche as Eugenie, an esteemed cook who has been working for over 20 years for Dodin (Benoît Magimel), a fine gourmet. Growing fonder of one another, their bond turns into a romance and gives rise to delicious dishes that impress even the world’s most illustrious chefs.
This film is one for the foodies, you can call it “food porn,” if you’d like, but mixed with a wonderful romance at its core. Binoche and Magimel are a magnetic pairing. It’s a film very much in the same tradition as foodie cinematic delights “Big Night” and Babette’s Feast.”
However, why did IFC Films and Sapan Studios decide to rename it “The Taste of Things”? Just stick with the original title, which already garnered plenty of buzz at Cannes and even won Hung the Best Director prize.
IFC and Saban were clearly concerned that U.S. audiences might find the original French title obscure, but it’s a beautiful title that lends well with the film’s central story. This makes no sense.
If I’m IFC, I’m hoping that Hung’s film get selected by the French Oscar committee for the Best International Feature Oscar. It might very well happen because, supposedly, Justine Triet’s Palme winner “Anatomy of A Fall” might fail eligibility due to it potentially having more than 50% of its dialogue in English.
There is still no release date for “The Taste of Things,” but it’s obviously going to be released before the year is done. If enough voters watch this film then it could surely contend for some Oscars.
Netflix and Skydance Animation have also called it quits. The two sides announced Monday that they're ending the animated film deal struck back in 2023, framing it as a mutual decision.