The Truffle Hunters

In the secret forests of Northwest Italy, a dwindling group of joyful old men and their faithful dogs hunt for one of the world’s most rare and expensive ingredients: the truffle.

Documentary filmmakers Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw have always been fascinated with people and places that have resisted the pull of the modern world. By chance, they struck gold in the forests of Piedmont, Italy, where a passionate group of men – old in years but young in spirit – keep the endangered tradition of truffle hunting alive.

Untouched by modernity, these hunters spend their days crafting handmade food and goods, eschewing new technologies, and by night they forage for the elusive white Alba truffle with only their loyal dogs to assist them. But even as worldwide demand for truffles skyrockets, supply is dwindling due to environmental degradation and the aging workforce who guard the secrets of the hunt from those who would exploit it.

Premiering at Sundance in 2020, The Truffle Hunters was shortlisted for the 2021 Academy Award for Best Documentary and was executive produced by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria). Playing out like a real-life fairytale over a series of artfully shot vignettes, The Truffle Hunters will transport you to a different era and treat you to a feast for the senses.

– Treise Armstrong, Program Coordinator Film