Film Screening: Au Menu - Le goût d'un pays

Join us for the April screening in our Au Menu film series, Le goût d’un pays!

Duration: 102min

Welcome to the little ones: There will be children activities proposed during the whole evening.
We will be proposing two crafts: a paper mokuk (traditional basket) and a paper bag maple tree with foil “bucket”.

The Taste of a Country, directed by Francis Legault, takes us on a poetic and heartfelt journey through Quebec, seen through the lens of one of its most cherished traditions: maple sugaring season. This film is a tribute to maple syrup, to those who produce it, and to a culture deeply rooted in the rhythms of nature.

Through breathtaking landscapes and intimate interviews with sugar shack owners, historians, authors, and food critics, the documentary invites us to reflect on the richness and vulnerability of Quebec’s cultural identity.

At the heart of the film are two iconic voices—Gilles Vigneault and Fred Pellerin—who share stories, metaphors, and reflections as they wander through the maple forests of spring. Their words and presence lend the film its lyrical tone, weaving together language, tradition, and the quiet power of simple gestures.

The film was awarded the Audience Award at the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) and the Gémeaux Award for Best Documentary Screenplay, and it was the most-watched documentary in Quebec theaters in 2017.

Following the screening, we’ll be joined by Brian Winters, Assistant Director of River Trail Nature Center in Northbrook and a 25-year veteran interpretive naturalist with the Forest Preserves. Brian will lead an informal discussion on the local context of maple syrup production in the Midwest. Come along to discover a fascinating perspective on how traditions like sugaring fit into our regional ecological story!

Light refreshments will be served afterwards, including Quebecois beer. Non-alcoholic options will also be available.

Doors at 6:00 p.m. for pre-reception. Program at 6:30. Please enter via 54 W Chicago Ave.

Watch trailer here!