Sharing stories, creating connections

A madeleine may be a small, golden, shell-shaped cake, but as immortalized by French novelist Marcel Proust, the “madeleine” also refers to a food tied to powerful memories that reconnect us to the people, activities, objects, sensory impressions and emotions of a particular time and place. They are unique to each individual, though can be significant to a group as well. 

“Madeleine Shorts” serves as a collection of 2 to 5 minute films that open up windows into madeleine stories found around the globe. When brought together, these short films speak of our rich diversity as well as our shared humanity, as we confront the challenges associated with change, nourish and empower ourselves through food and storytelling, and seek to connect and exchange across borders of all kinds.

Filmmakers (of all levels) are encouraged to seek out and collaborate with, film, and interview another person about a memorable food. Educators are encouraged to use a madeleine short project in their classrooms and then ask their students to submit their final film projects. Learning about the life worlds and experiences of another through food to create such a film can be a transformative experience, for interviewee and interviewer alike. We have included a resource page for individual filmmakers and educators seeking additional guidance.

Submitted and accepted “madeleine shorts” are then showcased here on this site, alongside shorts made by filmmaker Beth Grannis and food anthropologist Christy Shields, as well as their sixth grade and university students. Please enjoy the films on your own, or, if you are an educator, please bring them into your classrooms.

Please join our collective endeavor to discover and exchange through madeleine food stories.