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SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
'There's a glint in their eye': What it takes to produce the world's best porridge
Tucked in the Scottish Highlands is Carrbridge, a town most wouldn't even know exists if not for its strange claim to fame: the World Porridge Making Championship There's no prize money. Just a golden trophy shaped like a spurtle — a traditional Scottish utensil for stirring oats — and the glory of being crowned the world's best porridge maker. Sydney-based taco chef Toby Wilson was researching obscure food competitions when he came across The Golden Spurtle. He'd already found a roadkill cooking contest in West Virginia, United States, a fondue championship, and even one for testicles. But it was a quiet moment with a bowl of oats that inspired him to search for a porridge-making competition — and eventually, to fly to Carrbridge to compete. "They say the population is 700, but it feels like you only see 30 of them," Wilson tells SBS News. "I like to collect strange experiences," he says. "I'm a collector of these big fish, small pond experiences. I thought it would be fun to say I'm the World Porridge Champion." Sydneysider taco chef Toby Wilson made the trip to Carrbridge and cooked in the competition twice. On his first go, he claims he came second. Source: Supplied The first time he competed, Wilson placed in the top six. Or possibly second, depending on who you ask. "I was told I came second, but I couldn't verify that. But I'm just going to assume that I did." A year later, he returned to compete again. This time, he brought Melbourne-based writer and director Constantine Costi — who was making his first film — to help document the community that had unexpectedly charmed him. That film, The Golden Spurtle, has since sold out at major Copenhagen documentary film festival, CPH:DOX, Sydney Film Festival, and now this month's Melbourne International Film Festival. Porridge people Porridge, admittedly, is not the most exciting of foods. It's just three ingredients — oats, water and a dash of salt. But in the town of Carrbridge — located in Scotland's north-east and just an hour's drive from the British royal family residence Balmoral Castle — it represents much more. It's funny because it's such a boring dish, but all the people are so fascinating. "One of the previous winners has it tattooed on his arm," Wilson says. The competition draws an eclectic crowd. Among them: Adam Kiani, a fungus and mycology research coordinator; Nick Barnard, a wellness CEO determined to win; and reigning world champion Lisa Williams, whom Wilson was "weirdly starstruck" by. "There were people I'd read about who had won previous years … they're like porridge icons," he says. When it comes to the judging criteria, one judge, Neil Mugg, says good taste, colour, and texture are key. But everyone has their own technique. Some competitors wait for a gluggy bubble to guide them. Others, like Williams, trust sound. Wilson says he used to be an avid stirrer, but now lets the oats "do their thing". He says there's a superstition that you must stir clockwise to keep evil spirits at bay (and he does this, just in case). "I'm a chef by trade, so I feel like I need to be good at this," he says. 'You don't get that in Marrickville' For Wilson, the experience turned out to be more than just a quirky travel tale. "There were two big things I took from it," he says. "The first was how much focus I could put into mastering a simple dish. The second was the community." Wilson, who lives in Sydney's inner-west suburb of Marrickville — dubbed the second-coolest neighbourhood in Australia by Time Out in 2022 — says it was nice to be part of a small community where everyone knows and looks after each other. "Their differences didn't matter so much," he says. "I don't even know my next-door neighbours at home, and you're in this town, and everyone remembered me. "You don't get that in Marrickville." While many of Carrbridge's residents are older, he says the generation gap didn't seem to matter. "I'd be sitting between a 50-year-old and a 70-year-old, and literally the only thing we had in common was that we cook oats." We're the kind of people who see something like the World Porridge Making Championship and say, f--k it, that sounds fun. Aesthetically, The Golden Spurtle looks like it's been plucked from a BBC archive or that it's playing on an analogue television. Cinematographer Dimitri Zaunders opts for slow pans, colour and symmetry, dousing the film in Wes Anderson-esque petroleum. The documentary reflects that spirit. It's gentle, slightly absurd, and warm. Director and writer Costi — who has a background in opera — says porridge is simply a "Trojan horse" to tell the stories of the beautiful people in the Carrbridge community. "The hook for me was: how could something so seemingly basic on the palette be even vaguely interesting?" Costi says. The answer was in the people. There's Barbara, the head dishwasher of 25 years; Chris Price, the railway man who makes porridge "the Scottish way, with water"; the Porridge Committee; a pack of proud dishladies; and Neal Robertson, the aforementioned tattooed former world champion. Neal Robertson is a two-time winner of the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship. He even got a tattoo to mark the occasion. Source: Supplied We also see Roger Reed, who founded the competition in 1994 and helped put Carrbridge on the map. He even has a street in the town named after him. "I was looking for an idea to promote the village," Reed says in the film. "And it came to me — porridge, the epitome of Scottish food. Can you make a competition out of making porridge?" While they're all different, there are a few common denominators of the Carrbridge population: they're naturally witty, they mostly have grey hair, and they're very serious about their porridge. "The joy of it was really getting to know a whole bunch of older people and developing a relationship with strangers over a certain age," Costi says. "There's a glint in their eye. They're all in on the joke." 'What would you do with your final years?' At the centre of this is Charlie Miller — porridge maker, spurtle carver, and longtime chieftain of the competition. As his health declines, Miller wrestles with who will take over his role. Costi thought this might become the emotional spine of the film. But before filming began, Miller casually revealed he'd already found a replacement. "It's just Alan down the road," he told Costi. The documentary follows Charlie Miller's last year as chieftain of the competition. Soon, it transforms into a meditation on ageing, legacy and purpose. Source: Supplied Instead, the film transforms into a meditation on ageing, legacy and purpose. "On the surface, it's light and it's comedic and bubbly and kind of joyful. But there is a more poignant undercurrent through the whole thing, particularly with Charlie, who's not in the best of health," Costi says. But even as he wrestles with hanging up his metaphorical apron, Miller still drops wisdom in every scene, with lines that feel like they were plucked straight from a Dylan Thomas poem. The film opens on a montage of Carrbridge landmarks: a rocky bridge, the railway station, the pub — and the cemetery. "Everyone ends up here," Miller says, as he looks over the tombstones. The Scottish Highlands are ageing faster than the rest of the country. But in Carrbridge, that's not positioned as a problem — it's part of the charm. You notice it in the rhythm of the town, the cheeky banter of the committee, and in the slow beauty of the film itself. There's something particularly comforting about a place where older people aren't just visible, but central — running competitions, carving spurtles, washing dishes, stirring oats. As the proportion of people aged 60 years and older increases worldwide, the United Nations is promoting the need for "age-friendly communities" that optimise opportunities for health, participation and security, to enhance people's quality of life as they get older. In Carrbridge, the porridge competition may be playing a crucial role in building this sense of community. And while Miller is stepping down, the committee asks him to stay on as honorary chieftain — complete with a new hat and all. There is a deeply human story underneath all of this that we all have to face at one point, which is — what do I do with my final years? Constantine Costi, director of The Golden Spurtle "Is something as absurd as a porridge-making competition a worthy thing to do? I would say it absolutely is," Costi says. Wilson agrees — though he says he's probably done competing. "I think making it an annual tradition — at what point does that get a bit weird? It's like, how much do you want to win this porridge award, dude?" he says. Still, he got a glimpse of what those later years might look like. "I'm a keen, but terrible amateur golfer and Scotland's the home of golf. "So for a few days [while making the film], I would just make porridge and play golf. "It felt like a little sneak peek of my later years — cooking porridge and playing golf in a seaside village in Scotland." The Golden Spurtle is being shown as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival, which is running until 24 August. The film is also slated for a general Australian release later this year.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Edinburgh International Film Festival: Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn, Andrea Riseborough in full star line-up
The Edinburgh International Film Festival starts next week. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Little Voice star Jane Horrocks is to appear at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) as the full line-up of celebrities to attend the event was unveiled. Ms Horrocks will be at the festival for the world premiere of her family film Grow, where she will be joined by stars Golda Rosheuvel, Dominic McLaughlin, Priya Rose and Jeremy Swift, who has appeared in TV hit Ted Lasso. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jane Horrocks will appear at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Attending the festival for the UK premiere of acclaimed film Dragonfly is veteran British actress Brenda Blethyn and Jason Watkins, who played the lead role in the two-part drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, for which he won the Bafta TV Award for Best Actor. The names join the previously announced guest list for the festival, which starts next week, which includes film producers Ken Loach and Rebecca O'Brien, as well as Irvine Welsh. Paul Ridd, chief executive and film festival director, said: 'We are thrilled to be welcoming so many terrific filmmakers and performers from around the world to this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival to celebrate their work with us. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'One of the greatest joys of a film festival is the opportunity for audiences and industry to interact directly with the creatives behind the work shown onscreen, to hear directly about their vision, and to discuss films in a space that is both welcoming and productive. Our guest list this year is testament to all the hard work and passion that has gone on behind the scenes here in Edinburgh to make this edition special and to celebrate this wonderful medium in style.' The UK Premiere of The Golden Spurtle will see director Constantine Costi in attendance, alongside participants from the competitive porridge making documentary, including Charlie Miller, the former self-titled Chieftain of the Golden Spurtle. Previously announced guests include Eva Victor for the festival's opening night film Sorry, Baby. Meanwhile, Ben Wheatley, Noah Taylor and Alexandra Maria Lara will attend for the world premiere of Mr Wheatley's Midnight Madness opening night film Bulk. The festival, which is in its second year under new leadership, will be hosted at venues including the Cameo, the Filmhouse and Vue in the Omni Centre, as well as a 'pop up' screen at the Hawthornden Theatre at the National Gallery of Scotland. The festival will also use space at Fringe comedy venue Monkey Barrel. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kat Gollock Meanwhile, Tollcross Central Hall will act as the EIFF's Festival Hub for industry and press delegates, as well as hosting public-facing in-conversation events with major filmmaking talent. The festival's industry programme will run in this venue, including panels, talks, networking events and meeting spaces, open to delegates each day of the festival. Arts charity the Centre for the Moving Image, which fell into administration in 2022, was behind both the Filmhouse and the festival. The Filmhouse was subsequently shuttered for two years and reopened in June after a £1.7 million refurbishment and a lengthy fundraising campaign.
The Herald Scotland
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
New trailer for film about world porridge-making championship released
They are aiming to be named the World Porridge Champion and it has created intense rivalries. The film looks at those rivalries and how locals deal with the competition and all that comes with it. One of those is self-titled Chieftain of the Golden Spurtle, Charlie Miller. He is described as having an 'acerbic wit, charisma and a no-nonsense approach to all things porridge'. He is a maker of spurtles, which are wood porridge stirring utensils but since taking ill, he is looking for a successor to take over as chieftain. With no one in sight to take over, Charlie is left to shoulder the burden on the championship's uncertain future. The film tells his story and takes in the beautiful scenery around Carrbridge and the Highlands in general. It has been inspired by the works of photographers including August Sander and Martin Parr, and introduces the watcher to competitors from around the world including the 'Queen of Porridge' and young Australian chef Toby. The film is directed by Constantine Cosi (A Delicate Fire) with cinematography by Dimitri Zaunders. The film is produced by Rebecca Lamond (Friends and Strangers) and co-produced by John Archer (My Old School, My Name is Alfred Hitchcock). The film will have its UK premiere at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival on 17 August. The Golden Spurtle is released in UK cinemas on 12 September 2025.
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Watch: First look at trailer of Highlands porridge documentary set for film festival
This video More videos The competition has been running for three decades Keep up with the latest new videos with the Shots! Newsletter. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The trailer of a documentary about a porridge making competition in the Highlands which is to premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival has been released. The Golden Spurtle, directed by Constantine Costi, tells the story of the contest in the village of Carrbridge in the Scottish Highlands, where competitors fight it out for the coveted title of World Porridge Champion - using only oats, water and salt. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The competition has been held for last three decades, once a year, attracting contenders from around the globe. The Golden Spurtle documentary will be shown at Edinburgh International Film Festival. | contributed A spokesman for the documentary said: 'Amid intense rivalries, steaming bowls of porridge, and the lives of charmingly eccentric locals we see a living legacy unfold. 'Leading the way is self-titled Chieftain of the Golden Spurtle Charlie Miller, an acerbic wit, charisma and no-nonsense approach to all things porridge. A maker of spurtles (wooden porridge stirring utensils), Charlie is an artist at heart. Since taking ill he is looking for a successor to take over as Chieftain. But with no one in sight, Charlie is left to shoulder the burden of the championship's uncertain future.'
Edinburgh Reporter
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
EIFF – The Golden Spurtle – documentary to be released in September
One of the films in this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival – The Golden Spurtle – will be released on 12 September 2025. The documentary by Constantine Costi is 'witty and beautifully shot' and tells the story of the competition fought in Cartridge to compete for the title of World Porridge Champion. Amid the steaming bowls of porridge there is a story to be told. Leading the way is self-titled Chieftain of the Golden Spurtle Charlie Miller, an acerbic wit, charisma and no-nonsense approach to all things porridge. A maker of spurtles – which are used to stir the porridge – Charlie is an artist at heart. Since taking ill he is looking for a successor to take over as Chieftain. But with no-one in sight, Charlie is left to shoulder the burden of the championship's uncertain future. With striking cinematography illuminating both the film's memorable characters and the beautiful scenery of the Scottish Highlands, inspired by the work of photographers such as August Sander and Martin Parr, this is a visually ambitious delight for film and food fans alike. The film is directed by Constantine Cosi (A Delicate Fire) with cinematography by Dimitri Zaunders. The film is produced by Rebecca Lamond (Friends and Strangers) and co-produced by John Archer (My Old School, My Name is Alfred Hitchcock). The film will have its UK premiere at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival on 17 August. The Golden Spurtle is released in UK cinemas on 12 September 2025. Pictured: Chieftain of the Golden Spurtle Charlie Miller in his Spurtle-making workshop Like this: Like Related
