Freep Film Festival at Frame / Cinematic Dining Experiences with Chef Michael Barrera and Chef Joseph VanWagner
Bringing new meaning to ‘Dinner and a Movie’ enter: the 2024 Freep Film Festival at Frame. As part of the festival’s 11th year with an all-documentary event, best-in-food documentaries, we’re marrying cinematic passion with culinary genius, exploring the way food and film intersect.
4 Nights. 4 Films. 4 Immersive Dining Experiences : an interactive series of food films thoughtfully paired with multi course dinners for food aficionados.
Watch The Film. Taste The Film, Frame-style. These selected films are a showcase element of the documentary festival produced by the Detroit Free Press.
Thursday, April 11
‘The Michoacan File‘
+ A Rich Authentic & Cultural Mexican Dinner
by Chef Michael Barrera
A timely, culturally crucial and inspirational documentary film that challenges and ultimately deconstructs what we understand about Mexican food in modern society. Mexican director Bernardo Arsuaga brings Mexican cuisine front and center, turning back time to when Mexico was the place where European and Asian trade routes collided, leaving behind a strong culture with an enormous recipe repertoire. The Michoacan File with stories by Mexico’s Chefs Adrián Herrera and Roberto Ruiz, Spain’s Albert Adrià and North America’s loved Rick Bayles with narration by Danny Trejo.
‘The Michoacan File‘ Dinner
(( 1 ))
Sikil Pak, Pumpkin Seed Dip
Ensalada de Nopalitos Picante, Spicy Cactus Paddle Salad
Calabacitas Michoacanas, Zucchini from Michoacan
Totopos
(( 2 ))
Stuffed Avocado
Avocado, Cotija, Peas, Tomato, Mole Negro
(( 3 ))
Carnitas
Confit Pork, Blue Corn Tortilla, Avocado Tomatillo Salsa,
Orange, Radish, Pickled Chillies, Cilantro, Onion, Charro Beans
(( 4 ))
Michoacan Bread Pudding
Raisin, Brown Sugar, Walnut, Feta, Whipped Cream
Friday, April 12
‘Common Ground‘
+ A Wood Fired Vegetable Forward Dinner
by Chef Joseph VanWagner
Winner of The Los Angeles Film Awards, Tribeca Film Festival and on the 2024 Oscars shortlist, Common Ground, a love letter to our children, brings solution-oriented environmental storytelling by Jason Momoa, Donald Glover and Woody Harrelson. Created by Ojai-based filmmakers Josh and Rebecca Tickell, this exquisitely photographed film fulfills a unifying, nonpartisan message narrated by Laura Dern. A must see blueprint for securing our future, bringing course on how to put farmers back to work and stabilize the climate.
‘Common Ground‘ The Dinner
(( 1 ))
Farm Snacks
Cress pillow, Whipped cheese, Herbs, Cress Salad, Peach Vinegar
Confit Pork Belly, Pickled Wild Morel, Smoked Mulberry Sauce
Oxtail Croquette, Celery Root Mayo
Beet Soda, Fresh Herbs, Kombu, Wild Sumac
(( 2 ))
Rabbit Pierogi
Rabbit Sausage, Fiddlehead Fern, Pea, Pearl Onion,
Summer Truffle, Buttermilk Foam, Rabbit Jus
(( 3 ))
Braised and Compressed Beef
Mushroom Farce, Nettle Cavatelli, Pickled Mushrooms,
Loveage, Sunchoke Chip
(( 4 ))
Thyme Gelato
Rhubarb Confit, Financier, Rhubarb Chips
Saturday, April 13
‘The Truffle Hunters‘
+ A Luxe Truffle Dinner with Old World Truffles
by Chef Joseph VanWagner
Shown at Sundance, Cannes, Telluride and Toronto International Film Festival, Truffle Hunters‘ gorgeous cinematography brings a true meditative experience on nature and food. Exploring the worldly life of a group of elderly Italian men along with their canine companions, traveling the deep forests of Northern Italy in pursuit of truffles.
An Italian fix and insider view to the secret world of truffle hunting.
‘The Truffle Hunters‘ Dinner
(( Amuse ))
Eggshell
Marsala Gel, Diced Perigord Truffle, Roasted King Trumpet,
Truffle Sabayon, Banyuls Wine Vinegar, Shaved Summer Truffle
(( 1 ))
Beef Tartare
Chive, Roasted Onion, Roasted Mushroom, Caper, Truffle Emulsion
(( 2 ))
Raviolo
Sunchoke Puree, Morel Mushroom, Sunchoke Chip,
Summer Truffle Coin, Parmesan-Perigord Truffle Foam
(( 3 ))
Lamb Saddle
Bone Marrow Perigord Truffle Sauce, Truffle Emulsion,
Roasted Maitake Cluster, Parsley Puree, Tempura Ramp
(( Pre Dessert ))
Paw Paw IC, Truffle Salt
(( 4 ))
Truffle Meuille Fuile
Caramelized White Chocolate, Roasted Walnut, Whey Caramel, Shaved Truffle
Sunday, April 14
‘Crush: Message in a Bottle‘
+ A Rustic Bistro Wine Dinner
by Chef Michael Barrera
++ a Canadian Bottle List of Low Intervention,
Wild Ferment, Organic and Sustainable Sips
by Diego Aliste ++
In an emotionally cinematic and evocative portrait of ‘4 seasons, a year in the life’ of artisanal vintners, Canadian documentary filmmaker Maya Gallus genuinely explores the stewards of Ontario’s Niagara Region soil. Maya’s prestigious films have screened at festivals ranging in locales from Toronto to Singapore with Crush: Message in a Bottle, freshly winning the “Sustainability Award” at Spain’s Festival Internacionale De Cinema. Similar to how the Slow Food movement returns us to old ways, Crush is a beautiful deep exploration of real-world trials of producing exceptional bottles of low intervention wine in a new wine region.
‘Crush: Message in a Bottle‘ Dinner
(( 1 ))
Butternut Squash Soup
Creme Fraiche, Spiced Pumpkin Seed Cracker, Pumpkin Seed Oil
(( 2 ))
Caramelized Onion and Fig Ravioli
Ricotta, Tomato, Parmesan Fonduta, Aged Balsamic Vinegar
(( 3 ))
Duck Milanese
Celery Root, Chive and Parsley Puree, Arugula,
Apple Mustard Brown Butter Emulsion
(( 4 ))
Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart
Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream, Berries, Chocolate Cookie Crumb
++ Chefs are Requesting No Dietary Changes To These Menus ++
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Plan your evenings ahead.
Opt to watch the film first and enjoy your paired chef dinner after in Frame’s open kitchen dining space , or vice versa — dinner first and the film following.
Our backlot screening room bar will be serving imaginative cocktails and cheffed-up popcorn.
We’re Letting The Creative Production Roll.