Retzetas Antigas
Recipes, gestures and food as memory: tradition as a living story.
Retzetas Antigas gathers recipes, gestures and food memories between tradition and a contemporary gaze. Authentic archive images document kitchens, hands, preparations and people without invented reconstructions.
Ancient Recipes (Retzetas Antigas)
A culinary and anthropological series by Pietro Mereu
Moving past the well-known malloreddus or classic culurgiones, this series dives into an immense, intimate, and often hidden gastronomic heritage. “Retzetas Antigas” (Ancient Recipes) is a captivating documentary journey aimed at rediscovering rare dishes, forgotten recipes, and culinary rituals that have been passed down exclusively by word of mouth through generations.
After years spent living away from his homeland, director Pietro Mereu embarks on an island-wide journey inspired by the sensory memories of his childhood and his mother’s home cooking. The series, fully hosted and produced in the Sardinian language, transcends standard cooking shows to become a deep anthropological study. By stepping directly into the kitchens of Sardinian grandmothers, traditional bakeries, and rural agriturismi, Mereu interviews the elder guardians of the island’s culinary memory. In doing so, he uncovers the secrets behind ancient techniques, family histories, and unique ingredients inherently tied to Sardinia’s identity and global fame for longevity.
Project Statement:
“Authentic Sardinian cuisine is a hidden treasure. Through ‘Retzetas Antigas,’ our goal was to document more than just ingredients; we wanted to capture the sacredness of the process and the deep, profound link between the land, the Sardinian language, and food—the true pillars of our long life.”
Technical Specifications
- Director & Concept: Pietro Mereu
- Host: Pietro Mereu (featuring local cultural experts)
- Language: Sardinian (Limba Sarda Comuna)
- Production Company: Terra de Punt
- Distribution Channels: Rai 3 Sardinia (available on RaiPlay), MyCulture+, RTS.
“A documentary is something more. It exists to shed light on the world’s shadowed places.”Pietro Mereu← All works