FRANCE – 2011 – 90 MIN – COLOUR - FEATURE - IN FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
A FILM BY PAUL LACOSTE

In 2009, Michel Bras, at the head of a 3-star restaurant (Michelin guide), in the heart of the Aubrac region, decides to hand over to his son Sébastien.

A father and his son. Both at a crucial time in their careers.

Is it possible to pass on one’s life’s work? Is it so easy for a son to make a name for himself?

This film is the story of a family over three generations, a fine reflection on passing down know-how, on heritage.

DIRECTOR
Paul Lacoste has taught film directing for 15 years at ESAV (Ecole Superieure d’Audiovisuel) in Toulouse. At the same time, he has directed shorts and medium-length works of fiction. In 2010, he wrote a play about religion and family, directed it, and adapted it for the cinema under the title “Les Eaux Fortes.”

As an amateur cook and lifelong fan of Michel Bras’ work, he asked him if he could make a film portrait of his artistic creation when he received his third Michelin star in 1999. This marked the start of a documentary series about 9 major French chefs (“Inventing Cuisine”). In 2010, he approached Michel and Sébastien with the idea of creating a feature-length documentary about the handing- over of the restaurant from father to son. For the movie STEP UP TO THE PLATE, Paul Lacoste followed them for a year, filming this crucial time in their lives.

 

Audio interview (MP3 Format) with director Paul Lacoste. 
- CBC Radio CANADA (Marjorie Roulmann)

Audio Review (MP3 Format)
- CBC Radio CANADA (Marjorie Roulmann)

"ENTRE LES BRAS: Culinary devotion transcends generations in intimate doc"
- THE GLOBE AND MAIL

NNNN - "...like so many other documentaries about food, ENTRE LES BRAS finds an absolutely perfect ending."
- NOW MAGAZINE

"The film’s other stars are the dishes, of course, especially the “Pathway” — a towering dessert devised by Sébastien as a signature menu item. This edible sculpture is like a free-standing metaphor for the idea of food as art, and its unique flavouring — which runs the gamut from savoury to sweet — reflects the wide spectrum of emotions being experienced by the man who created it."
- THE GRID

"...full of calm, gorgeous shots of natural scenery and sunrises… virtually stunning."
- FOOD JUNKIE CHRONICLES

"...very contemplative, featuring beautiful imagery and a recurring theme of time"
- CARMEN HUNGRY

"...the story of changing chefs and changing seasons. It looks at food as not just something that nourishes our bodies, but as something that enriches our lives and our relationships."
- WASHINGTON POST