You can find them deep in the jungles of Borneo, in the hills of Umbria and perhaps even in your own backyard. They are the fruit hunters. Inspired by Adam Gollner’s 2010 book of the same name and directed by Yung Chang (Up the Yangtze), the film travels across culture, history and geography to show how intertwined we are with the fruits we eat. Our guides are devoted fruit fanatics. Movie star Bill Pullman’s obsession leads him on a crusade to create a community orchard in the Hollywood Hills. Fruit detectives, including Isabella Dalla Ragione, investigate Renaissance-era paintings for clues, hoping to rediscover lost fruits. The film also takes a few subtle digs at multi-nationals and monocultures and the fact that many fruits found in supermarkets are grown in a “permanent global summer” and grown to look rather than taste delicious. But the film’s focus is on the fruits themselves, presented in all their mouthwatering glory: cherimoyas, ice cream beans, durians and more. Directed by Yung Chang. Produced by Mila Aung-Thwin, Katherine Baulu and Bob Moore.

The Fruit Hunters

2012 CA 95 min
Festival Year: 2013
Types: Documentary
Topic: Energy & Resources, Environmental Advocacy and Justice, Global Perspectives