Lunch with Madame Murat (2007)

In a tiny village deep in rural southwest France a family restaurant is about to celebrate it's 100th anniversary. In her late 60's, Jeannette Murat is nursing her gravely ill father at home while working around the clock to produce sumptuous five course lunches for the local quarry workers and truck drivers who arrive at her door every weekday at noon. Her daughter Sylvie also works fulltime at the restaurant, and she is the fifth generation of women in the family to keep the business going, perpetuating a gastronomic tradition that is rapidly disappearing from the French countryside. Our film tells the story of the restaurant and of the five generations of women who have kept it going through two World Wars and great family difficulties. From Françoise who opened her humble kitchen to travelling timber haulers, serving hearty soups and stews cooked on an open fire; to the restaurant as it is today serving traditional regional cuisine in a warm and welcoming environment. In the lead up to the party planned to celebrate 100 years of continuous service, we also look to the future. The European Union has forced changes that financially affect the ability of rural restaurants to compete with fast food chains; while the next generation doesn't seem as keen to work the hours required to keep the restaurant doors open. 'Lunch with Madame Murat' is a moving family story about love; about wonderful food and about a way of life that may sadly soon disappear from the French landscape.