GRANDMA’S FOOD

Luisa Macedo

2023 - Brazil - 16’ - Documentary

North American Premier

In 2020, the director of the documentary gained access to the belongings of her recently deceased maternal grandmother, Zizi, who had passed away at the age of 95. Among Zizi’s possessions was a treasured notebook of recipes. Curious to see if her paternal grandmother, Lourdes, had a similar record, Luisa discovered that she did not. To understand why, Luisa sets out on a journey to uncover Lourdes’s story. The film intertwines these two narrative threads, alternating between them as Luisa explores both the written and unwritten memories of her grandmothers.

About the director:

Luisa Macedo holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Visual Arts, complemented by a background in gastronomy. Her debut short film as a director, Comida de Quintal (2022), explores the lives of women and their backyard gardens in the greater Belo Horizonte area. The film has been featured at festivals in Brazil, France, England, and Italy, earning accolades at the UN World Food Forum Film Festival in Rome and the Cibo Corto Festival in Siracusa.

Macedo also developed the project O Cheiro do Gosto (The Smell of Taste), which encompasses a book and a website dedicated to backyards as sites of resistance (www.ocheirodogosto.com). Her latest short film, Comida de Vós (2023), was funded by SESC RJ. Additionally, she has created commissioned works for the Biennale Arts Actuels in France and the Moreira Salles Institute.