In this documentary, Mexican cuisine is front and center, from its history to its influence on other culture’s cuisine, the fight to get it recognized internationally, and how beloved it is.
Written by Greg Gransden and directed by Bernardo Arsuaga, The Michoacan File is one of those documentaries that may come off as one made for a limited audience, but it is anything but that. The film is one of those where just about everyone watching will learn something and one that is made ina way to be entertaining as it educates. It’s a solid documentary about food and people, about the the people who make the food, about those who grow food, how food influences people and connects people. It’s something that is easy to put on and just get pulled into it from the start.
Of course, the narration by Danny Trejo, who else could have done this really?, is on point and he shows his passion for his land’s food, a food that he has brought to Los Angeles and the area with his own chain of restaurants, something that makes sense to have him narrate really. No one else would have sold this well as he does here. Of course, the film isn’t about him or his restaurants and the man really shows how he can narrate something and give it life while letting the central subject shine. This is great narration work. The film also does quite well in having him as the voice of the film, but keeping him to a minimal presence, giving the other voices in the film center stage, making them the stars and what they talk about the main attraction here. The cast of folks involved include chefs such as Adrián Herrera, Albert Adrià, and Hugo Guajardo to name a few as well as historians, people from different regions of Mexico, and those who grow the food. This is a very well-rounded cast of speakers, and it really helps the film get its message through.
The film is well shot as well, which really allows the speakers to shine along with the food itself. Yes, this seems like a no-brainer, but far too many documentaries overdo it in terms of stylizing their images and taking people to all kinds of locations to make themselves look cool. This documentary shows that restraint can really help in letting the subject of the film be in the spotlight and keep this spotlight. This minimalist approach really works here and lets the film sit back and allow the subject to be the center of everything.
The Michoacan File is one of those easy-watching documentaries that can be put on randomly and easily be absorbed by it quickly. It’s an efficient documentary that actually has something to teach everyone about food, about history, about the influence of Mexican food. Do you think this is an exaggeration? How much do you currently know about where tomatoes come from? How many names do each chili peppers have? When did Mexican food enter UNESCO? There’s so much in here, it could easily have been a mini-series on a streaming service, but instead, it’s all here in an easy to digest package that also entertains.