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Theater of Life

2016 1 h 33 min
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Theater of Life captures the remarkable story of how renowned chef Massimo Bottura, joined by 60 of the world’s top chefs, transformed food destined for the dumpster into delicious and nutritious meals for Italy’s hungriest residents—refugees, recovering addicts, former sex workers, and other disadvantaged people. A visual feast in itself, the film puts a human face on its powerful message of social justice and the environmental impact of food waste.

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Theater of Life

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Theater of Life captures the remarkable story of how renowned chef Massimo Bottura, joined by 60 of the world’s top chefs, transformed food destined for the dumpster into delicious and nutritious meals for Italy’s hungriest residents—refugees, recovering addicts, former sex workers, and other disadvantaged people. A visual feast in itself, the film puts a human face on its powerful message of social justice and the environmental impact of food waste.

  • editor
    Elric Robichon
  • director of photography
    Nicolas Venne
  • camera
    Giancarlo Migilore
    Nicola Baraglia
  • producer
    Josette Gauthier
    Annette Clarke
    Peter Svatek
  • writer
    Peter Svatek
  • director
    Peter Svatek
  • featuring
    Massimo Bottura
    Gaston Acurio
    Ferran Adrià
    Andoni Luis Aduriz
    Alex Atala
    Mario Batali
    Jeremy Charles
    Mauro Colagreco
    Alain Ducasse
    Luca Fantin
    David Hertz
    Daniel Humm
    Virgilio Martinez
    Yoshihiro Narisawa
    René Redzepi
    Joan Roca
    Ana Ros
    John Winter Russell
    The Santini Family
    Viviana Varese
    Christiana Acha
    Stefania Bassani
    Fatou Dieng
    Eugenia Gonella
    Fawaz Naser
    Giorgio Papetti
    Marco Rossi
    Salvatore Salici
    Egidio Sbarufatti
    Emanuele Colombo
    Lidia Cristoni
    Fabrizia Ferrari
    Lara Gilmore
    Davide Rampello
    Cristina Reni
    Don Giuliano Savina
  • original music
    Antoine Binette Mercier
  • music performer
    Patrick Watson
    The Barr Brothers
  • sound design
    Mélanie Gauthier
  • sound editing
    Mélanie Gauthier
  • research
    Elena Dal Pra
  • fixer
    Elena Dal Pra
  • additional photography
    Matteo Urbinati
    Carlotta Marrucci
    Marco Caddeo
  • sound recording
    Nicola Baraglia
    Marco Caddeo
    Riccardo Baldoni
    Riccardo Napoli
  • assistant director
    Giuseppe Carrieri
  • production coordinator
    Carlotta Marrucci
  • production assistant
    Riccardo Napoli
    Barbara Vivino
  • still photography
    Alberto Bobbera
    Ellie Yonova
  • music consultant
    Kris Manchester
  • graphics consultant
    Kris Manchester
  • translation
    Silvia Accardi
    Elena Dal Pra
    Marija Zivkovic
    Nicolas Gulino
    Josette Gauthier
    Elric Robichon
    Setsumi Katagiri
  • transcription
    Marija Zivkovic
    Daniel Svatek
  • liaison
    Cristina Reni
    Fabrizia Ferrari
    Luciano Gualzetti
    Lara Gilmore
    Marzia Molteni
    Enrico Vignoli
    Tania Di Bernardo
  • musician
    Mélanie Bélair
    Mélanie Vaugeois
    Ligia Paquin
    Annie Gadbois
    Antoine Binette Mercier
    Claude Lamothe
    Patrick Watson
    Robbie Kuster
    Brad Barr
    Andrew Barr
  • music score mix
    Peter Van Uytfranck
  • post-production supervisor
    Jean-François Laprise
    Roz Power
  • post-production assistant
    Mylène Augustin
  • post-production services
    Simon Webb
  • assistant editor
    Éric Marapin
  • head, coordination and project support
    Pierre Ferlatte
  • digital editing technician
    Isabelle Painchaud
    Chris MacIntosh
  • foley artist
    Lise Wedlock
  • foley recording
    Geoffrey Mitchell
  • title design
    Simon Chénier-Gauvreau
    Lian Benoit
  • end credits photograph
    Alberto Bobbera
  • graphics
    Simon Chénier-Gauvreau
    Lian Benoit
    Mélanie Bouchard
  • online editor
    Yannick Carrier
  • colourist
    Yannick Carrier
  • re-recording
    Serge Boivin
  • senior production coordinator
    Kelly Davis
  • production supervisor
    Mary Armstrong
  • studio administrator
    Leslie Anne Poyntz
  • legal counsel
    Dominique Aubry
    Bruno Ménard
  • production accountant
    John Chretien
  • fiscal services
    Hecht, Heft, Lamoureux
  • auditing services
    Hecht, Heft, Lamoureux
  • insurance
    Globalex
  • interim financing
    Banque Nationale du Canada
  • executive producer
    Phoebe Greenberg
    Penny Mancuso
    Josette Gauthier
    Annette Clarke
  • associate producer
    Emmanuelle Héroux

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Education

Ages 17 to 18
School subjects

Ideal for essays and debates on homelessness. Some chefs claim they aren’t trying to change lives, but trying to bring moments of joy; is this enough? Why or why not? Compare the chefs’ ideals with the criticism of homeless man Fawaz, who feels the chefs treat their clients like objects. What do you think Fawaz means by this, and do you agree or disagree with him? Research how food is wasted or recycled in your city or school.

Theater of Life
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Home licence (worldwide); Classroom licence (Canada only)

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The institutional price includes the rights to screen this film in institutional settings and in free public screenings.