In Tran Anh Hùng's 'The Taste of Things,' passion for food is a necessary ingredient

No matter how much time has passed or how much has changed in his life, French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hùng's still has a craving for the same childhood dish.

In a recent interview, he said his family didn't have much growing up, so they often ate simple meals. But, as he explained, sometimes the most simple things are the most delicious.

"What I like the most, even today, is pork belly. You cut it in very thin slices, you need only to dip it in nước mắm (the fish sauce), and then very good rice," Tran said. "The taste is amazing."

Cooking has always been a sentimental part of his life, as he often watched his mother work in their kitchen surrounded by so many vegetables, animal products, colors and smells. The first question he'd ask whenever he came home from school was "What do we have for dinner?"

It comes as no surprise then that the Vietnam-born, Paris-based director channeled his passion for cooking in "The Taste of Things," his love letter to French cuisine. The film is France's official submission to the Academy Awards' best international feature film category, and will screen at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Jan. 8, 10, 11 and 13.

"The Taste of Things" tells a love story between Eugénie (Juliette Binoche), a gourmet chef for famous restaurant owner Dodin Bouffant (Benoît Magimel). Their relationship goes back two decades, making dishes that are the talk of France in the late 1800s, all the while Eugénie refuses to get married to Dodin. She values her independence, and when they already enjoy each other's company and appreciate each other's culinary talents, marriage doesn't seem all too necessary.

It's best to watch the film on a full stomach because Tran captures every scrumptious detail as Eugénie and Dodin work in the kitchen and create exquisite dishes together. Tran said it was important to get every possible movement in these moments, whether it's cutting vegetables, putting something in the oven or spooning sauce on top of a finished meal.

"I told my team that the cooking scenes, we have to see it as a car chase scene. It needs to be very lively and everything needs to be in movement. We don't stop to take beauty shots of the food," Tran said. "We have to see, at the same time, the cooking, but also the body of the actors moving around. We need to feel the sensuality of the body and also see that this activity is a real pleasure for our characters."

It was also just as vital to capture the "generosity and care" that one displays when they cook for someone else. Eugénie is often seen with a smile on her face when she prepares something for Dodin, and when he decides to cook for her, he puts every ounce of thought and precision into his multi-course meal.

Being a foodie was just the first step in making the film. Tran shared that he worked with a historian when writing the script to make sure he was including period-appropriate meals. Later on, he partnered up with French chef Pierre Gagnaire as his gastronomic manager, who suggested which dishes should be kept and which should be traded out for more visually interesting ones. The chef then cooked for the director so he could see and taste everything.

The pot-au-feu, the national dish of France, is one of the main meals showcased in the film. Dodin wants to cook the dish for a prince, which Eugénie and his colleagues think is a controversial choice. Tran explained that this beef stew is "affordable for all families" and one that ordinary people eat, which is why it was a "challenge for him to bring this very poor dish to his table" instead of his usual culinary delights.

Among all the delicious meals seen on screen, Tran said a fish that is slowly cooked in milk was his favorite.

"It's amazing because its meat is very, very soft. For me, it's the most sensual dish of the movie," Tran said. "It's impossible to show it on screen because it's something that you can only know when it's in your mouth. It's quite amazing, the taste."

Tran is planning on attending the Palm Springs International Film Festival for the first time, and other than taking in the desert's food scene, he has his eyes set on checking out its iconic mid-century modern structures. Who knows, the visit could inspire the award-winning director to base a future movie on architecture. He explained that ever since he was a child, he "liked looking at people working in any field."

"I enjoy watching a carpenter make a door," he continued. "It's something that's very noisy and full of dust, but I stay there because everything in their gesture is amazing for me."

For now, he hopes to make a movie about the Buddha, which would chronicle one year of his life and teachings. Tran hopes to educate more people about the philosophy, but before he can do that, he has plenty of research to do himself. His main intent with the film will be to "give the feeling of simplicity."

How to watch

What: "The Taste of Things" screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival

When and where: 4 p.m. Jan. 8 at Palm Springs Cultural Center; 10 a.m. Jan. 10 at Palm Springs Cultural Center; 4:45 p.m. Jan. 11 at Annenberg Theater; and 1:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at Palm Springs High School

Cost: $15

More info: https://psfilmfest.org

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 'The Taste of Things' Tran Anh Hùng talks Palm Springs film fest