Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 15 minutes, Director – Constantine Costi
As competitors travel across the world to take part, Charlie Miller prepares for his final year as chieftain of the World Porridge Making Championship in the quiet Scottish village of Carrbridge.
The Golden Spurtle isn’t cynical, fun-poking or insincere. It doesn’t embrace its subjects in a strangling bear hug either. Instead, much like the titular award, it’s a charming and admiring observation of the World Porridge Making Championship, held annually in the small village of Carrbridge, Scotland.
Chieftain Charlie Miller, overseeing the build-up to the event and the creation of spurtles, has taken charge for over 20 years, with the documentary following his final championship before retiring from the role. Alongside him we meet the various characters across the village who volunteer to bring things together each October. They have a knowing humour to them, aware of their quirks and eccentricities, and it’s one of the things that director Constantine Costi appears to admire most. Through this unassuming nature a natural charm comes through, gently flowing throughout the film.
While the air of competition grows and there’s a seriousness from the various competitors all but one still treat things with a lightness (and love of porridge). It seems that the two key, leading factors of The Golden Spurtle are what allow the film and the championship to work so well – porridge and the village of Carrbridge, the small, close-knit quaintness of which is effectively captured by the cameras. There’s a sense of pride from and about both elements which infuses the documentary, this isn’t a mere oddity or quirky annual happening, it’s something that’s genuinely looked forward to and enjoyed. To some extent it’s a shame that we only get to spend 75 minutes in the village’s endearing company – especially when you discover that there’s also an unseen speciality competition alongside the regular porridge championship.
Yet, that short run-time of just over an hour still allows for time to be taken with the elements of the film and given to the figures who crop up. For the eccentricities to come through and certain shots to linger on the moment and scenery. Perhaps this could be a 30-45 minute short-film, but the documentary feels better for that not being the case and adding to the various people involved in the central celebration. By the time the actual competition came around I had a smile spread across my face that was difficult to remove.
A gentleness is brought in early on as we first arrive in Carrbridge and learn about the start of the championship, including Charlie reciting a poem about porridge and joke at expense of England, and it continues right to the very end. From the opening stages the film naturally gets you to leave any pretensions or cynicism behind as it welcomes you in to a world of warming comfort and porridge. Almost instantly engaging, The Golden Spurtle is a warm, sincere look at a porridge competition which calmly watches and admires the proud quirks and eccentricities in both the competitors and the organisers which help make it happen.
Its own bowl of warm, simple comfort The Golden Spurtle is a charming documentary which quietly observes and admires the quirks and eccentricities of the central porridge championship and the quiet village at the centre of it.
Just A Little Bit Random 