Naman Shrestha
Co-written and directed by Trần Anh Hùng, ‘The Taste of Things,’ alternately titled ‘La passion de Dodin Bouffant,’ is a French historical romantic movie that follows an esteemed cook named Eugenie and her boss, a famous gourmet, Dodin Bouffant, who is loosely inspired by the eponymous character of the novel ‘La Vie et la passion de Dodin-Bouffant, gourmet’ by Swiss author Marcel Rouff. Over the course of two decades, the cook and her boss form a deep and romantic bond, which results in some exquisite and delicious dishes that impress even the most renowned and illustrious chefs in the world.
Despite spending so many years together, Eugenie doesn’t want to give up on her freedom and commit to Dodin by marrying him. So, Dodin does something he has never done before — cook for her. Originally titled ‘The Pot-au-Feu,’ the romantic drama film is set in 1885 France, mainly inside the four walls of a rustic chateau kitchen where the love for food and romance fills the heart of Eugenie and Dodin. The historic chateau and the surrounding areas intrigue many viewers into wondering where ‘The Taste of Things’ was filmed.
The Taste of Things Filming Locations
‘The Taste of Things’ was filmed in its entirety in France, especially in Maine-et-Loire. According to reports, principal photography for the drama film got underway in late April 2022 and continued for the next few weeks, before getting wrapped up in May of the same year. So, let us find out all about the specific sites where the lead characters display their culinary skills!
Maine-et-Loire, France
Shooting for all the pivotal sequences of ‘The Taste of Things’ was carried out in Maine-et-Loire, a French department in the Loire Valley in Western France. Named after two rivers, Maine and the Loire, the department’s principal city, Angers, served as one of the prominent filming sites. However, the primary production location where a majority of the scenes were taped is the Château du Raguin at 12 All. du Rocher in Chazé-sur-Argos. The historical castle was declared as a historic monument in 1992, several centuries after its establishment. The filming unit made the most of the establishment’s interior as well as exterior areas to shoot several important scenes for the historical movie.
When the filmmaker Trần Anh Hùng sat to talk about ‘The Taste of Things’ with Roger Ebert, he was asked how he managed to synchronize actors’ movements with the camera. Explaining, he said that he usually doesn’t prepare or rehearse with actors when shooting a movie. He claimed that he decides how he wants to shoot the scenes on the spot, on the set. But he revealed, “For the opening sequence of this film, however, I had to rehearse with my team. I filmed it on my iPhone to get an idea of how the camera would need to move, of how the characters would need to move through the kitchen.”
Hùng elaborated further, “We showed this to the actors, and then we shot it from the beginning. It was quite difficult, of course, because of everything that we cooked. When we had to film a scene again, we needed new sets of ingredients. This was quite complex. But I always need to believe in what I try on set, that it will be interesting and precious at the end, to feel confident to go with this way of working.”
Read More: The Taste of Things: Is the French Film Rooted in Reality?
