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Comidas que Curan presents
A documentary about the health impacts and cultural and culinary traditions surrounding coconut by Afro-Ecuadorians in Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Directed and produced by Pilar Egüez Guevara
Official Trailer (English Subtitles) - https://bit.ly/40DCzPW
"Raspando coco" (31 mins, 2018) An Ecuadorian anthropologist from Quito travels to the northernmost coastal province of Esmeraldas, Ecuador to gather stories told by Afro-Ecuadorian elders about the traditional uses of coconut in their local cuisine and medicine. The film immerses us in the streets, farms and kitchens of Afro-Ecuadorians in Esmeraldas and their struggle to preserve their traditions in the face of obsolete medical advice and the rising cost of their traditional foods. The film shows nearly forgotten traditional recipes and home remedies made by grandmothers from Esmeraldas, such as hot chocolate made with freshly squeezed coconut milk. (English subtitles available)
“Raspando coco” (31 mins, 2018) Una antropóloga quiteña viaja a la costa norte del Ecuador, provincia de Esmeraldas, para recoger las historias contadas por abuelas y abuelos afro-ecuatorianos sobre los usos tradicionales del coco en la cocina y medicina local. El documental nos sumerge en las calles, fincas y cocinas de los esmeraldeños y esmeraldeñas, y a su lucha por preservar sus tradiciones de cara a recomendaciones médicas obsoletas y el encarecimiento de sus alimentos locales. El documental presenta remedios caseros y recetas tradicionales casi olvidadas preparadas por abuelas esmeraldeñas, como el chocolate con leche de coco. (subtítulos en español disponibles)
+Liberación Film Festival | Afro-Latino Festival (New York, Oct 2019), Official Selection
+Firenze Film Festival (Florence, Sep 2019), Nominated for Best Foreign Documentary
+Latin American Studies Association Film Festival (Boston, May 2019), Official Selection
+Indie Short Fest (Los Angeles, Mar 2019), Nominated for Best Documentary Short
+Independent Shorts Awards (Los Angeles, Mar 2019), Honorable Mention for Best Female Director
The spectacular film Raspando Coco sets forth the extraordinarily rich and varied cultural, medicinal, curative and culinary properties of the Manila coconut for all of us to understand and appreciate.
Norman Whitten
Excellent! This film needs to be widely distributed at universities and medical/health conferences.
Arlyn Elizee
This is such a beautiful film! I could smell the foods through the screen. This type of work will preserve culinary foodways for the future.
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