Upon a cursory glance of the new documentary The Truffle Hunters from directors Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, the film appears to be a whimsical Wes Anderson-esque storybook tale concerning a group of eccentric men in Northern Italy and their adorable pups searching for culinary gold in the form of Alba white truffles. This is certainly one endearing aspect of the feature, but it delves much further into the process as it explores how unfettered consumer demand has rapidly led to a collapse in tradition and economic exploitation. The complex market of buyers and sellers are part of a close-knit yet competitive community who are understandably secretive but allow these filmmakers a window into their world that never lacks for wonder. This world is revealed in what could almost be referred to as a series of vignettes that brings a thin sheen of artificiality to the proceedings, but the subjects are so wonderfully charming that you forgive any stylistic indulgences.
Even when you feel the subjects are occasionally indulging in their eccentricities for the camera, you still sense that we are seeing the closest thing to their genuine nature as the camera might allow. After all, this particular line of work is highly specialized and can be very isolating. Each hunter has their own tricks of the trade and special locations where they search for these highly-prized crops that can only be found and not cultivated. In one fascinating scene, Aurelio, an 84-year-old truffle-hunting legend, refuses the pleas of an up-and-coming hunter to reveal the location in which he finds his plentiful bounty of precious truffles. The younger party argues that if something were to happen to him, all of his secrets would die with him and the world would be deprived of these treats. Aurelio flatly denies the request; he is a man who cherishes the tradition and his secrets will be going with him to the grave.
Other hunters, such as the crusty, eccentric 78-year-old farmer and poet Angelo, have already had enough of the corruption of tradition. Angelo gave up the hunt after rival hunters poisoned his dogs, and his contempt for the culture around truffles appears to magnify with each passing day. With a glass of wine in hand he angrily types out unfocused ramblings concerning the abandoning of tradition both in terms of truffle hunting and in society in general. This former womanizing acrobat also has some amusing wisdom he wants to impart on the youth of today regarding patience: “We need to go back to 50 years ago… When to undress a woman, you had to take ten dresses and four petticoats off.”
These themes also translate over to the brokers buying these truffles from the hunter for their clients around the world demanding greater amounts of this high-priced delicacy. In one key scene two buyers are discussing the old ways in which there used to be an understanding about not crossing lines to buy from hunters you know were already “claimed” as it were. You gather that the world is much more cutthroat now, even making the film feel like a thriller at points as covert arrangements are made by the cover of night. Yet, you cannot let yourself give into the thrill of the deal due to one particular sticking point. On more than one occasion, you hear a hunter speaking with a broker wondering aloud if they are being paid fairly for what they are delivering, but ultimately trusting that the world is a fair place and accepting what is offered. This is juxtaposed with scenes of truffle auctions and “tastings” attended by the economic elite who have no concept of how these coveted truffles made it to their plate. People all over the world treat this food like literal gold, yet the majority of hunters providing them appear to be doing it for the love of a job well done rather than perceived monetary value.
The real heart of this film, though, is the relationship between these hunters and their canine companions. From the first moment he appears on screen, Aurelio, who has no wife or family, steals our hearts as he exudes love for his trusty hound Birba – a true good girl if there ever was one. Like many of our subjects, Aurelio is not terribly far away from the end of his life and he is very concerned about what will happen to her once he is gone. In one deliriously fun creative choice, we occasionally get shots from a camera mounted on one of the dogs as they forage through the forest for their fragrant target. It is a real treat to see the hyperactive world from their point of view while hearing the intense sniffing going on as they attempt to find some truffles. Passionate forager Carlo might be most exemplary of the attitudes of this film. This 88-year-old man roams around with his own dog in the middle of the night as his wife repeatedly begs him to stop taking such risks. Like many of the subjects in the film, he never intends to stop since hunting for truffles is his life – and for some they even intend for it to be their afterlife. It is equal parts life-affirming and heartbreaking. The Truffle Hunters is a beautiful examination of passion, determination, exploitation and more within a world unknown to most. It is a must-see.
Video Quality
The Truffle Hunters comes to Blu-Ray in its original aspect ratio with a gorgeous 1080p presentation. This documentary footage looks as technically excellent as it can look in high definition as the cinematic aesthetic is replicated quite nicely here. The transfer appears to have plenty of room to breathe and there are no issues with compression artifacts, banding or other digital nuisances. Interview segments and scenes captured in nature look sleek and clear depending on the filming conditions with natural skin tones and detailed facial features. The colors featured in the film are natural and vibrant as they provide a nice visual pop on screen. Black levels are appropriately deep and give way to a nice amount of detail in shadows. I do not see how this set could have been improved visually. It’s a beautiful transfer handled with care by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a stellar DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Italian that accentuates this footage perfectly. Dialogue is the driving force of the film, and it comes through crisp and clear without being clipped by any competing sounds. The filmmakers do a really great job of capturing their subjects and making sure all this information comes through with supreme clarity. The music and the score from Ed Côrtes establish the mood of the film, and those sounds are resolved well here as music often sleeks throughout the room. The chatter in the public locations they chose to film in provides a nice base texture to the proceedings. Ambient sounds are precisely placed in the rear channels. The audio track is not pushed to the limit with this content, but it nonetheless proves to be an excellent sounding presentation for this feature. There are optional English SDH subtitles included for those who desire them.
Special Features
- The Story of The Truffle Hunters: A nearly five-minute conversation with Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw in which they discuss how they came to this story, how they went about establishing the visual aesthetic, the particular characteristic of each subject, the “storybook” feeling of the narrative and more.
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute theatrical trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
The Truffle Hunters is a captivating documentary that explores a rarely-seen world with a sense of wonder which lifts it up as something quite special. The subjects of the documentary are quite endearing even when they are crotchety, and their canine companions are a quick pathway to a warm heart. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a striking A/V presentation and a few supplemental features. Those who love unique documentary subjects should find themselves falling in love with this one. Recommended
The Truffle Hunters is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
