‘Feel good’ documentary on Scottish Highlands porridge competition gets Edinburgh Film Festival premiere
The porridge making competition takes place every year in the Highlands.
A documentary on the World Porridge Making Championships in Carrbridge is set to be released during the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).
UK film distributor Dogwoof announced the UK release date for filmmaker Constantine Costi’s new documentary The Golden Spurtle as September 12, after its premiere at the EIFF on August 17.
The annual competition has been taking place in the village of Carrbridge for 30 years. Contenders from around the globe descend to compete for the coveted title of world porridge champion.
In the documentary, viewers will witness intense rivalries, steaming bowls of porridge, and the lives of charmingly eccentric locals, alongside a living legacy and the search for succession of the ‘chieftain of the Golden Spurtle’.
Charlie Miller, self-titled Chieftain of the Golden Spurtle, showcases an acerbic wit, charisma and no-nonsense approach to all things porridge. A maker of spurtles - traditional wooden porridge stirring utensils - Mr Miller is described as an artist at heart.
Since taking ill, he is looking for a successor to take over as chieftain. But with no one in sight, Mr Miller is left to shoulder the burden of the championship's uncertain future.
The documentary is said to boast striking cinematography illuminating both the film’s memorable characters and the beautiful scenery of the Highlands, inspired by the work of photographers such as August Sander and Martin Parr.
The film introduces viewers to an array of competitors from around the world - from Suffolk-based Queen of Porridge Lisa to seven-time finalist and London-based health food chief executive Nick, as well as young Australian chef Toby.
The Golden Spurtle is billed as a celebration of community and the future of vibrant, close-knit societies.
The film is directed by Constantine Cosi (A Delicate Fire) with cinematography by Dimitri Zaunders. The film is produced by Rebecca Lamond (Friends and Strangers) and co-produced by John Archer (My Old School, My Name is Alfred Hitchcock).
The Guardian called the film “a pleasure to watch … as wholesome and nourishing as its oat-stirring subjects”.
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