If you are a self-confessed cinephile, but aren’t familiar with the ‘noodle western’ film genre, begin your education with a viewing of the 1985 film, Tampopo. The genre, created specifically for Japanese comedy, marked a play on the idea of ‘spaghetti western’ films. The film follows a widow who runs a withering noodle restaurant. Little does she know that the secret to her success will be learning to cook the perfect bowl of noodles, until a truck driver named Goro enters her restaurant and delivers the harsh news that her noodles are unpalatable. As the pair embarks on a quest to cook the perfect bowl of noodles, several characters and plots are woven into the story, with many of the tales being told through the characters’ relationships with food.

Image via Nikon Cine Art.