FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Strong Atlantic showing at Devour! Fest delivers downhome delights in food and film
Devour! may be a growing international force in the Food Film realm but the festival is still deeply rooted right here in Atlantic Canada. And from October 19 – 24, 2021 Devour! will be showing off everything Atlantic Canada has to offer during a celebration of Global Indigenous Cinema & Cuisine. Featuring eleven individuals from Atlantic Canada, from extravagant Chefs to first-time actors, to seasoned sommeliers, crafters, comedians, and community organizers.
Atlantic Eats, Films to Froth Over & Extravagant Events
Kicking off the festival, Garrett Gloade of Millbrook First Nation has curated a Mi’kmaq Mawi’omi to welcome all Devour! goers to our region and set the tone for the week for what will be an incredible cultural experience.
“The Mi’kmaq Mawi’omi at Wolfville Waterfront Park as part of Devour! is the first of its kind for a festival like this. I’m sure it will lead to even more Devour! gatherings like this in the future, making the festival unique in its own way. We invite everybody out to come and enjoy Indigenous culture and take in as much of the festival as you can,” says Gloade.
Devour!’s Opening Gala Reception presented by Taste of Nova Scotia delivers on the promise of its name, bringing you a taste of Chefs from all over the Atlantic provinces: Martin Ruiz Salvador of Beach Pea Kitchen & Bar, Matthew Krizan of Mateus Bistro, Renée Lavallée of The Canteen, Melissa Mansfield of Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op, Justin Mackenzie of the Station Food Company, and the Culinary Management team at NSCC Kingstec.
Serving up a week of coastal cuisine, Dartmouth’s Craig Flinn, Annapolis Valley’s Stéphane Levac and Jason Lynch add their signature styles to the mix. With workshops perfecting pickled cucumber relish to trekking out into the Atlantic wilderness and foraging for your own ingredients by hand, there’s something for everybody. And when dinner is served, Kathryn Harding, Nova Scotian sommelier, will be ready with a perfect pairing of wine.
Rebecca “Becky” Julian, of Old Town on Indian Brook Reserve, who makes her film debut in the Closing Gala Film Wildhood, plays the character of the Elder, Elsapet. The film, Wildhood, has been shot along the iconic shores of the Bay of Fundy, directed by another rising East Coaster whose films have been showered in awards, Bretten Hannam of Kespukwitk.
Adding to our coastal cinematic experience are Hell or Clean Water, filmed in the harbours of Newfoundland; Pituamkek: A Mi’kmaq Heritage Landscape, filmed in Northwestern Epekwitk (PEI), filmed by returning director John Hopkins; and Underwater Quest, featuring Benjamin Bridge and La Maison BeauSoleil, directed by Brad Sayeau.
“To see films and filmmaking come back to the province is a dream come true for us at Devour! And what we’re seeing now is a wealth of new stories from underrepresented communities that are seizing their place in the spotlight. The Indigenous cinematic landscape is bursting right now, and we’re honoured to be a platform for sharing it,” says Lia Rinaldo, Managing Director of Devour!
Pairing up with Stéphane Levac’s foraging excursion, Rexton, New Brunswick’s Sandra Racine offers her skills in weaving, making sure participants are equipped with a basket before they head out on the hunt for ingredients. Glooscap First Nation’s Trina Roache and Wolastokuk’s (NB) Nic Meloney will be teaming up to share decades of experience in Storytelling in the Media from the Indigenous Perspective.
“The opportunity to raise Indigenous voices throughout this event is an important mission for us. We’re so fortunate to have Trina and Nic sharing their knowledge and perspectives with us, as well as having Tomson Highway, who’s cultural contributions to theatre, music, and literature have made a permanent mark on the tapestry that is our shared history,” says Michael Howell, Executive Director of Devour!
This year’s Devour! The Food Film Fest is tickling taste buds both in-person and online with their expanded program available here. Whether attendees join virtually or in-person, Devour! is cooking up something extraordinary thanks to support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and The Province of Nova Scotia, through its Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage.
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About Devour!
Combining cinematic talent with extraordinary gastronomic activities, Devour! The Food Film Fest is the world’s largest film festival focused on food and drink. This annual, six-day festival typically hosts 100+ events, high profile chefs and celebrated filmmakers from around the world. Devour! has attracted more than 14,000 food and film lovers to Nova Scotia, Canada in 2019 alone. The eleventh edition of Devour! is slated for October 19-24, 2021.
Media Contact
Robyn McIsaac
902-440-1551
robyn@prhive.ca
