'Truffle Hunters' Trailer: The Festival Standout Is Expected To Hit Theaters This Christmas

Septuagenarian men hunting for elusive Alba truffles in Italy may not sound all that exciting, but “The Truffle Hunters,” directed by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, comes with major pedigree. First off, the film premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival and then the doc was accepted to the Toronto International Film Festival, capping off a string of previous acceptances into the Cannes, Telluride, and New York Film Festivals. That nearly every major festival in the world, aside from Venice. Shortly after Sony Pictures Classics, announced they had acquired the film for North America, and not only do they know a documentary when they seem ’em, SPC has a knack for picking strong Oscar doc contenders.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy, a handful of men, seventy or eighty years young, hunt for the rare and expensive white Alba truffle–which to date has resisted all of modern science’s efforts at cultivation. They’re guided by a secret culture and training passed down through generations, as well as by the noses of their cherished and expertly-trained dogs. They live a simpler, slower way of life, in harmony with their loyal animals and their picture-perfect land, seemingly straight out of a fairy tale. They’re untethered to cell phone screens or the Internet, opting instead to make their food and drink by hand and prioritizing in-person connections and community. The demand for white truffles increases year after year, even as the supply decreases. As a result of climate change, deforestation, and the lack of young people taking up the mantle, the truffle hunters’ secrets are more coveted than ever. However, as it soon becomes clear, these ageing men may just hold something much more valuable than even this prized delicacy: the secret to a rich and meaningful life.

“The Truffle Hunters” was produced by Dweck and Kershaw. The film is A Beautiful Stories Production, Presented by Bow and Arrow Entertainment and Park Pictures, In Association with Faliro House, Artemis Rising, and Frenesy Film. 

Sony Pictures Classics plans on releasing the film in theaters on December 25. Watch the first trailer below and get ready to get your gourmand on and get enchanted.