THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS

THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS takes us into the forests of Piedmont in northern Italy, where a dwindling group of elderly men and their dogs search for the rare white Alba truffle, one of the most prized ingredients in the world. 

The men who we follow guard their knowledge closely, moving through the woods before dawn with their incredible canines in tow. The dogs are at the centre of everything, companions, workers and family all at once.

Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw find the film’s richness in muddy paths, torchlight, old faces, kitchen tables, private deals and quiet rivalries. It pays attention to the rhythms of a way of life that feels both ancient and fragile. Running through all of this is the pressure of money, scarcity and change, because the white truffle cannot simply be manufactured at will. It depends on land, weather, time and luck.

What stays with me most is the tenderness between the men and their dogs. For all its talk of rarity and price, this is a film about loyalty, labour and companionship. That makes it a perfect film for this fundraiser screening. THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS is warm, funny, deeply humane and full of the kind of quiet emotional truth that can catch you off guard.