THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS (2020) was nominated for a lot of awards, but its charm--or whatever--escaped us. It is a documentary about a few elderly truffle hunters and their dogs (I thought it was pigs) who are still hunting white Alba truffles. In 2001, they were selling for $1000-$2000 a pound. Since then prices have skyrocketed; some large specimens sell at auction for about $100,000/lb. (We can't help but feel that it is more a status thing--are the large ones that much better than the small.) These truffle hunters are being pressured to reveal their best hunting grounds, having their own property "poached" by others, and just plain retiring. The documentary offers no solutions and is more just a look at them and their lifestyles, contrasted with the (IMHO) ridiculous auctions for truffles at prices the hunters will never see.

Released theatrically 12 March 2021. Rating: +1 (-4 to +4), or 6/10.

Film Credits: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7905466/reference

What others are saying: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_truffle_hunters

					Mark R. Leeper
					Copyright 2023 Mark R. Leeper