13/10/2023 - In his usual minimalist and direct style, Frederick Wiseman takes us on a journey inside one of the most famous Michelin-starred restaurants in the world

In the past forty years, Frederick Wiseman has constructed a framework through his filmmaking, which reflects modern society and the various public and private institutions of which it’s composed, often in the USA, and, at times - as is the case here - in Europe. Often compared with Erving Goffman for the patient way in which he observes human behaviour, even though his encounter with the father of modern sociology was accidental and incredibly brief, Wiseman has spent these many years filming hospital patients, museum visitors and students in various schools.

In his latest and typically lengthy effort, Menus-Plaisirs - Les Troisgros [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which has just screened in the BFI London Film Festival after selection in Venice out of competition, the great US documentary-maker pays a visit to La Maison Troisgros, a restaurant which has boasted three Michelin stars since 1968 and which is located close to Roanne in central France. And, with his usual patience, Wiseman describes the setting, the protagonists and the dishes served here. Founded in 1930 and run by various generations of the Troisgros Family, La Maison Troisgros became an institution under the leadership of Jean and Pierre, who helped to invent Nouvelle Cuisine with their brilliant dish, salmon with sorrel. The protagonists of Menus-Plaisirs are Pierre’s son Michel and his two sons César and Léo, two chefs subscribing to the tradition of aesthetic pleasure, as well as the pleasure of taste and Eastern influences, notably of Japanese origin.

Menus-Plaisirs sees Wiseman preserving the style that has always set him apart, shunning the didacticism of a narrating voice and allowing the camera both time and space, not only to capture what’s happening in the kitchen or dining room, but how the food arrives there and how it’s actually produced: the film alternates long sequence shots composed of dialogue between diners with shorter shots, of flowers and plants, for example, to create sequences almost akin to abstract cinema, because, according to Wiseman, day-to-day reality takes unusual forms, depending on the distance from which it’s observed. There’s a desire for psycho-geography in this movie, as often happens in Wiseman’s works; a determination to get to the heart of things, starting from the outer edges and rambling inwards. We visit the provinces to chat with wine producers, shepherds and beekeepers; we hear interesting explanations of how goats’ cheese is made and how vineyards are cultivated. We journey from the market to the dinnerplate in the same way that we start with the writing of a screenplay before we end up with a film on screen. This metaphor comparing restaurants to films is also discussed in Repas de bébé, in which we can’t help but admire Wiseman’s genius as he speaks of the origins of film and the legendary Lumière who helped to invent it, not too far away from where La Maison Troigros stands tall. Frederick Wiseman looks at the origins of things in order to satisfy his own curiosity (which truly is insatiable) and his inquiring gaze lands everywhere, far from judgement and open to debate. And if someone objects to the film’s four-hour runtime, there are plenty of fast-food alternatives out there.

Menus-Plaisirs - Les Troisgros is produced by 3 Star and Zipporah Films, Wiseman’s US and French production firms. France’s The Party Film Sales is managing international sales.

(Translated from Italian)