First We Eat

Let it be said: the Crocker family never shies away from a challenge. And, fortunately for us, matriarch-filmmaker Suzanne always makes a point of documenting their trials. Whereas 2014 VIFF Audience Award-winner All the Time in the World captured nine months of her kin living without power, Crocker’s latest documentary charts their year-long commitment to exclusively eating locally sourced food.
　　What makes this particularly challenging is the fact the five Crockers reside in a remote Yukon community just 300 kilometers shy of the Arctic Circle. Consequently, there are scores of foodstuffs that aren’t readily available. "Maybe I’ll be a better person off of caffeine," Suzanne speculates. Or maybe she’ll soon be drying human blood to create a salt substitute. Such borderline macabre moments are counter-pointed by a rich vein of comedy that runs throughout the film, much of which comes courtesy of her kids’ skepticism. With their collective commitment to sustainability constantly teetering on the brink of collapse, this charismatic documentary keeps you on tenterhooks and ultimately sends you home with a few recipes you won’t find on the Food Channel.
　　Audience Award Winner, Hot Docs 20
　　From viff.org