Episode 7—Babette’s Feast: A Foretaste of Heaven
Fleeing brutal retribution against the revolutionary Paris Commune in 1871, French chef Babette (center) takes refuge with pious sisters Philippa (left) and Martine (right) in the Jutland of Denmark (Janus Films).
Danish language movie poster for Babette’s Feast (Janus Films).
Jessee wraps up our sister-themed series with Babette’s Feast (1987)—a sister fable, culinary extravaganza, and papal favorite all in one! Based on Karen Blixen’s short story of the same title, Babette’s Feast is a meditation on lost love and artistic opportunity, community and communion, and the way we feed our souls.
In sharing the now-classic Danish fable of food and faith, the sisters learn fascinating trivia about the woman behind the story, discuss the historical and theological contexts of culinary community, and explore why its a famous favorite of the Pontiff himself!
The ascetic townspeople eat cailles en sarcophage, the pièce de résistance at the film’s titular event (Janus Films).
“Babette spreads her art around like manure!”
Show Notes
Film Synopsis
Based on Karen Blixen’s short story of the same title, Babette’s Feast is a meditation on lost love and artistic opportunity, and the way artistic expression can bring people together to feed their souls. In 1871, a mysterious French stranger, Babette, seeks refugee with a pair of aged sisters who are members of an austere Lutheran sect. Located in a remote area of Jutland, the community is aging and fractured. After 14 years working as cook and housekeeper for the sisters, Babette wins the lottery and uses her winnings to prepare an authentic French dinner for the community. Over this masterpiece of a meal, seemingly against their rigid religious beliefs, the townspeople find communion and community again and Babette’s artistic vision is fulfilled.
Babette’s Feast (1987). Directed by Gabriel Axel. Story by Karen Blixen. Starring Stephane Audran, Birgitte Federspiel, Bodil Kjer, Jarl Kulle, Jean-Philippe Lafont.
References
Babette's Feast short story by Isak Dinesen aka Karen Blixen, from StoneSoup
Out of Africa by Karen Blixen
Out of Africa (1985)
Anecdotes of Destiny by Karen Blixen
The Immortal Story (1968)
Au revoir les enfants (1987)
Everyday French with Pierre Escargot on All That
Ratatouille (2007)
Hello, Dolly! (1969)
The Two Popes (2019)
Interview with Stephane Audran, Criterion Collection
Babette’s Feast and the Art of Cuisine, Criterion Collection
Babette’s Feast reboot directed by Alexander Payne, Indiewire
Sideways (2004)
The Descendants (2011)
Nebraska (2013)
Recommendations
Jessee: Binging with Babish (2016-). Babish’s episode recreating Babette’s Cailles en Sarcophage.
Frankee: Corpus Christi (2019)
Annee: Big Night (1996). Babish’s episode recreating Il Timpano.
