March 17, 2023 - Filmmaker Raval Alviarez (LE SELECT)

LE SELECT, 10min., Canada
Directed by Raval Alviarez
Le Sélect Bistro opened its doors on Queen St. W. in 1977. It became a community center that many residents of the city would flock to night after night in search of an experience unlike any other. Owners Frédéric and Jean-Jacques helped propel the careers of Canada’s most talented culinary workers such as Matty Matheson. Working closely together, the owners and their 80+ employees sought to deliver a soul to the heart of the city of Toronto. By touching the lives of every customer, the bistro became a landmark for the city. Unfortunately, Toronto quickly began its rise of urbanization. And 45 years later, they were forced to sell the restaurant and abandon their most cherished memories..

https://www.blogto.com/film/2022/12/someone-made-movie-about-one-torontos-most-famous-restaurants/
https://www.instagram.com/ravalalviarez/

From filmmaker Raval Alviarez:

“Food is so much more than just what we eat, and restaurants are so much more than places to eat—they’re community centres. And our city of Toronto is at a very important crossroads right now when it comes to protecting and preserving those businesses. When making a documentary, I was taught that we ought to make something that audiences need to hear and see right now. And I believed that the residents of our city deserved to see what we risk losing when these small businesses are forced out of our communities.”

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