Welcome to the blog for Colgate University's interdisciplinary course on food. This is the place to keep up with what students in the course are experiencing in their work at Common Thread Community Farm and through their everyday encounters with food.

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Movie for your weekend

While scrolling through Youtube, I came across a trailer for a Japanese movie called Little Forest: Summer/ Autumn (2014). I encountered it as part of a Youtube series called "Healing Movies Through Food." While watching the trailer, I became interested and started watching the movie with English subtitles. Directed by Junichi Mori, the movie follows the journey of Ichiko, who left the big city to lead a self-sufficient life in the countryside. She starts growing her own rice and vegetables, and spends significant amount of time walking around in the forest to harvest necessary ingredients. This movie definitely does not romanticize farming nor the self-sufficient life like Farmer Boy does. Instead, it shows the physical and mental toil that Ichiko experiences in having to provide food for herself.

The beauty of this movie is not by its content (e.g. Ichiko farming rice, harvesting, etc.) nor the message of the movie (e.g. appreciate farmers, etc.). But, the beauty is found in the silent - and sometimes dull - atmosphere of the movie. In modern cinema, the main purpose of a movie is to tell a dramatized story. "Violent" stimuli (e.g. car crashing, screaming, fighting) in these stories often overload our senses, making us mentally tired. However, Ichiko's story gives us a mental break through a story about food. There are no dramatic moments. There are no "violent" stimuli. Instead, this movie gives audience a chance to "meditate" through our day-to-day encounter with food.

In this stressful time of finals, it is very important for us to avoid "violent" stimuli that may make us even more tired. Instead, take a two hour break during the week to watch this movie. It will not only make you appreciate every part of your food, but also provide a time for your brain to relax.

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