La grande bouffe

I recently came across this list of the greatest food movies. Surprisingly, none were French. Although Paris still holds a place in the Hollywood imagination–many of the films which made the list were set in France–it seems that the French themselves aren’t tempted by food porn. In fact, the only French movies I could think of which might be deemed “food” films were Delicatessen and La Grande Bouffe–which, frankly, surpress the appetite rather than excite it.

Maybe–as Michael Pollan suggests–those who enjoy food will be found in the kitchen, not in front of the TV. Maybe Jean Paul Belmondo looks more fetching with a cigarette in his mouth. Maybe I know nothing about French movies and am overlooking countless spectacles of gourmandise. All plausible.

What do you think? Are French cinema and French cuisine mutually exclusive?