Between screenings, a diverse lineup of gastronomic experiences, talks and theatre led our culinary horizons to new frontiers. Tastings of Fresa di Ittiri cheese from Sardinia and beer made of grape must derived from Moscato wine production are delicious reminders that an extensive network of independent producers and agricultural associations are the beating hearts behind Italy’s world-renowned cuisine. More food for thought was given by actor Enrico Jacopo Testoni, as he presented a modified performance (due to weather reasons) of Fame, a mix of staged culinary acts and a monologue about food waste. 

Yet, I was most intrigued by a single origin coffee showcase. It is to no one’s surprise that Italy has a deep-rooted coffee culture, but this long tradition has often limited how Italians see and drink the beverage. Erminia Nodari, the founder of the Slow Food Coffee Coalition, passed the pour-over brews around she prepared and emphasised that coffee did not have to be bitter like the ubiquitous espresso. When the crowd tasted the gentle acidity and maltiness in the drink, the excitement on their faces was palpable.

During the break, I set off to explore Bergamo’s own gastronomic legacy. The verdant Alpine valleys nearby produce excellent cheeses and cold cuts, and warming polenta – local recipes call for a bit of buckwheat mixed into the cornmeal – has been the carbohydrate of choice to combat the harsh mountainous climate. Given I was already sweating wandering around, I ordered casoncelli, a native filled pasta, for my lunch as I sat down at the terrace of Trattoria La Colombina. Its bowtie shape was adorable, and the sausage and parmigiano filling was a nice match for a glass of red wine. 

I skipped dessert at the restaurant because a main checkpoint for my post-lunch passeggiata was La Marianna, a bar and cremerie that invented the stracciatella gelato in the 1960s by adding swirls of chocolate into plain milk ice cream. When you have easy access to the exceptional milk coming from the Alps, a bit of cacao is all that is needed to create a bestselling treat. 

Whereas most of these delicacies have a rather lightweight following outside Italy, the Food Film Fest does its best to leverage the cultural currency of la cucina bergamasca to help the city connect with kindred spirits abroad. This year, it spotlighted Santa Maria da Feira, a fellow City of Gastronomy from Portugal, with a documentary about its sweet bread varieties fogaça and regueifa and the related festive rituals. A pre-show conversation between the cultural representatives of the two municipalities outlined the film’s importance in giving Santa Maria da Feira the international exposure it needed. And it is by honouring culinary realities overlooked by dominant narratives that the festival finds its raison d’être.