The audience at an Orange County screening of the new culinary documentary, “The Michoacán File,” was small, intimate. But soon it became clear that the film’s deep exploration of Mexican cuisine has been a longstanding global affair.
“As a Mexican citizen, I feel our best ambassador as a nation is our food, ” said the film’s director Bernardo Arsuaga, a few days before his Newport Film Festival screening. “Our ingredients and our techniques have traveled around the world, and they have left a lot to other countries’ culinary identities.”
Editor’s note: This is an occasional series where Voice of OC works with local community photographers to offer residents a first-hand look at the local sites and scenes of Orange County.
The documentary explores the Mexican culinary world’s compelling history — one rooted in culture, politics, and a vibrant tradition that reached a critical moment as the classic cuisine saw worldwide acclaim as a serious contributor with real impact.
The film, currently making festival rounds in the U.S. and beyond after taking the Newport Beach Film Festival’s Jury Award on Oct. 25 for Best Feature Documentary, asks a central question: How can generational traditions, culture and heritage be preserved when it comes to Mexican food?
The answer is multifaceted.
In 2005, Mexican anthropologists and traditional cooks applied to register their cuisine with UNESCO or the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The feat to be recognized wasn’t easy. In fact, the initial application was rejected.
However, five years later in 2010, Mexican cuisine was acknowledged by UNESCO as part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The specialized agency of the United Nations agreed that the rich culinary traditions of Michoacán as a representation of traditional Mexican food was appropriate. Corn, beans, and chili peppers as main ingredients were highlighted, among others, as was the dynamic use of farming methods such as milpas and chinampas.
“We realized that cuisine was a cultural heritage as important as the Eiffel Tower or the Notre Dame Cathedral and that we needed to start preserving it,” Gloria López Morales, founder of the Conservatory of Mexican Gastronomic Culture, says in the documentary.
“The Michoacan File,” narrated by “Machete” actor Danny Trejo, explores the deep history of Mexican cuisine from an anthropological and cultural perspective, challenging the perception that Mexican food has been limited to simple dishes.
UNESCO’s recognition of Mexican food as part of an “intangible cultural heritage” ultimately elevated Mexico’s culinary profile around the world, the film’s director said, but cautioned that many, including chefs, have also exploited that distinction.
“It was not about making chefs fancy, or getting more tourism or being on the cover of a magazine,” Arsuaga said. “The purpose was to protect the way Mexicans grow their own ingredients. And with that, protect Mexican food and Mexican culinary techniques.”
Arsuaga, who previously showed the competitive yacht racing documentary, “The Weekend Sailor,” at the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2016, hopes his latest film will illustrate the expansive history of Mexican cuisine.
Like many businesses, the pandemic impacted Mexican restaurants as dining rooms closed, but current trends show that consumers have returned to Mexican eateries steadily.
Even with COVID, the Mexican food restaurant industry in the U.S. was resilient and in the last 5 years grew by 2.4% annually to more than $80 billion, according to research group IBISWorld.
Javier Cuadra, who owns Urbana Mexican Gastronomy & Mixology in the Anaheim Packing District, specializes in foods from Michoacán. Although he has yet to see the documentary, he knows how popular Mexican cuisine is in Orange County.
“Growing up between Mexico and Orange County, I would always miss the food from my hometown when I would come back,” Cuadra recalls. “I don’t think Michoacán has had the full attention it should in Orange County and surrounding areas.”
Cuadras’ vision for Mexican food has been influenced by street foods. Fresh and natural ingredients along with offerings such as homemade tortillas, red snapper ceviche and about a dozen varieties of tacos, including lobster with corn, queso fresco, avocado, and chipotle aioli sauce, make up part of an extensive menu the restaurateur describes as “eclectic.”
“My family are amazing cooks and would always bring me comfort by making the most delicious recipes,” Cuadra said. “This inspired me to bring those classic, comforting recipes.”
Cuadra has also seen the challenges of curating an authentic Mexican menu in Orange County. “Guests expect to have fillers with every Mexican dish, such as rice and beans, chips and salsa, etc.,” he adds. “We all love these sides, but they are typically not served with every dish.”
At this year’s Newport Beach Film Festival screening, members of the audience were intrigued by what they learned about Mexican cuisine, including the techniques in making the food and that those characteristics are protected by UNESCO.
“That message [about UNESCO] is not well known and I believe more people will be aware of it,” said an audience member during a Q&A session with the filmmakers following the screening.
Exploring that history was critical for Arsuaga and the reason he decided to make the film. “It’s a little bit more complex than just tacos — that’s the main idea,” the filmmaker said.
“The Michoacan File” was previously screened at the Ceres Food Film Festival in New York and Madrid Indie Film Festival. Additionally, the film made its Mexican premiere at the Morelia International Film Festival in Morelia, Michoacán, in late October.
For Arsuaga, Mexican cuisine is a staple enjoyed in many places and the Golden State and Orange County are no exception and that’s cause for celebration, even as some have exploited the food.
“There are countries where Mexican food is not even known, and what is known is the American version because it’s businesses that have taken it around the world, but not in the way we would love to or would prefer,” Arsuaga declares. “There’s a lack of information. There’s a lack of history, which I think people, when they get to know it, will fall in love more.”
