Feb 21
Austin Film Society Austin, TX
TicketsIan Cheney
Director
andKaren Fingerman
Wilson Regents Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas
andAnna Hardy Finger
Social Worker
Shelf Life— Mondo cheese
Program Description
A worldwide “Mondo Cheese” with the world’s many cheese-making and cheese-enjoying traditions as the subject matter. For this very special Science On Screen® and Texas Science Festival event, Karen Fingerman and Anna Hardy Finger from The University of Texas at Austin, an expert from Antonelli’s Cheese Shop, and the film’s award-winning director Ian Cheney will discuss the many scientific aspects of this much-appreciated culinary discipline.
Film Synopsis
A surprising global odyssey exploring the world of cheese. Parallels are drawn between the aging process of cheese and human life's journey.
Prepare to embark on a captivating culinary and philosophical journey in Shelf Life, the latest documentary from Ian Cheney (The Search for General Tso). This quirky and contemplative film takes us on a global odyssey into the world of cheese, drawing unexpected parallels between the aging process of this beloved food and the human experience of growing old. From the passionate cheesemakers in Japan to the knowledgeable mongers in Tbilisi, Cheney introduces us to a colorful cast of characters who share their unique perspectives on decay, dissolution and the art of crafting the perfect cheese.
Beautifully shot and gently paced, Shelf Life offers a sensory delight that will leave you craving a taste of the world's finest cheeses while pondering the more profound questions of life and mortality. Through odd visual meditations and darkly comedic flourishes, Cheney masterfully weaves a charming and haunting narrative, inviting viewers to savor the complexities of aging in all its forms. This delectable documentary is a must-see for food enthusiasts and anyone seeking a fresh, thought-provoking cinematic experience. — Tribeca Festival
Photo credit: Ian Cheney
About the Speaker
Ian Cheney is an Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker. He grew up in New England and received bachelor's and master's degrees from Yale University. After graduate school, Ian co-created, co-produced and starred in the feature documentary King Corn (2007), which aired on PBS and was awarded a George Foster Peabody Award in 2009. Ian subsequently directed the feature documentary The Greening of Southie (2008), featured in The New Yorker and on Good Morning America; Truck Farm (2011), the story of urban agriculture in New York City; The City Dark (2011), a feature documentary about light pollution and the disappearing night; The Search for General Tso (2014), a feature documentary about American Chinese food; Bluespace (2015), which explores the terraforming of Mars and the waterways of New York City; and The Smog of the Sea, a collaboration with musician Jack Johnson about microplastics in the sea. His most recent film, The Most Unknown (2018), is a feature documentary profiling 9 scientists working on the fringes of human knowledge. He has also produced short films for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian and The Undark. A co-founder of FoodCorps, a nationwide public service organization, in 2011 he and longtime collaborator Curt Ellis were awarded the Heinz Award for their work in sustainability. In 2014-2015, Ian was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT. Formerly a visiting professor at the Università degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche in Italy, he is now an adjunct professor at Yale College. He lives in Maine with his wife Amanda Murray, a curator and film producer, and their son Kepler.
Karen Fingerman is the Sonia Wilson Professor of Human Ecology and Professor of Human Development & Family Sciences at UT Austin. She studies adult development and aging, in particular social and emotional aspects of aging and assesssments in daily life. She is currently the Director of the Texas Longevity Consortium and the Research Director of the NIA-funded Center on Aging & Population Sciences.
Dr. Fingerman has conducted research and published clost to 200 papers and chapters regarding parents and children, in-law ties, romantic partners, grandparents and grandchildren, friends, and peripheral social ties.
She is currently working on an NIA-funded study of of caregivers for older adults experiencing Lewy Body Dementia. Lewy Body Dementia is the second most common cause of dementia, but has received little research attention compared to Alzheimer's Disease. Caregiving in this context is extremely challenging. This study will use Ecological Momentary Assessments and other assessments to examine these caregivers' experiencers in daily life. She has also been studying young adults who provide care to aging relatives and is collaborating on research addressing hearing aid use in late life.
She continues to work on her National Institute on Aging funded Family Exchanges Study, a longitudinal study involving middle-aged adults, their romantic partners, grown children and aging parents. The National Institute of Aging also funded her ongoing Daily Experiences and Well-being Study, examining older adults' social relationships, and daily emotional, cognitive and physical activity using ecologically valid methodologies including EMA surveys, actical measurements of physical activity and Electronically Activated Recorders (EAR) to capture conversations and sound throughout the day.
She received the Baltes Award for Distinguished Research Achievement in Psychology and Aging, from the American Psychological Association in 2022. She received the BSS Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award from the Gerontological Society of America in 2020, the CNS Teaching Excellence Award in 2020 and a Faculty Teaching Award from the Diversity and Inclusion committee of the CNS student council in 2019. She also recently took second place in the Great Blanton Bake Off Amateur Division 2024.