The Search for General Tso

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The Search for General Tso
Film poster
Directed byIan Cheney
Produced by
Cinematography
  • Ian Cheney
  • Taylor Gentry
Edited byFrederick Shanahan
Music by
  • Ben Fries
  • Simon Beins
Production
company
Wicked Delicate Films
Distributed bySundance Selects
Release date
Running time
73 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Search for General Tso is a documentary film that premiered at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. It was directed by Ian Cheney and produced by Amanda Murray and Jennifer 8. Lee.[1] Sundance Selects acquired it in December 2014, and it was released January 2, 2015, in theaters and on demand.[2]

Synopsis

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The film begins by exploring theories about General Tso. It then shifts focus to China,[3] where few recognize the eponymous dish.[4] The film then traces Tso's real-life history in the Qing Dynasty as well as the history of Chinese immigration to the United States.[1] Interviewed are a number of notable figures in Chinese-American cuisine, such as Cecilia Chiang of the Mandarin, a world record-holder for restaurant menus[5] and Chef Peng Chang-kuei, who claims to have invented the dish in Taiwan.[3]

Development

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Around 2004, Cheney and his best friend were driving across America when they stopped at a Chinese restaurant "with red booths and neon signs" and ordered General Tso's chicken. The experience prompted them to investigate the history of Chinese food in America.[6]

In 2008, Lee wrote a book about the history of Chinese food in the United States and around the world, titled The Fortune Cookie Chronicles,[7] documenting the process on her blog. She reported the unlikely, but true, story of how a batch of fortune cookies created 110 Powerball lottery winners.[8] To the surprise of many non-Chinese readers, she reported that fortune cookies are found in many countries but not China and that fortune cookies may have originated in Japan.[9][10] Warner Books editor Jonathan Karp struck a deal with Lee to write a book about "how Chinese food is more all-American than apple pie".[11] She appeared on The Colbert Report to promote the book.[12] The book was #26 on The New York Times Best Seller list.[13]

The book research is the basis of Lee's documentary collaboration with Cheney. In addition to premiering at Tribeca, the film played at the Seattle International Film Festival[14] AFI Docs,[15] and the Independent Film Festival of Boston.[16]

Critical reception

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Film reviews were generally positive, with critics finding the premise amusing and the conclusion thought-provoking. Scott Foundas of Variety called it "a finger-lickin' good foodie docu" and John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter predicted, "Festival auds should eat it up."[1][5]

References

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  11. ^ "Jennifer 8. Lee Attracts Americans with Chinese Food" Archived 2008-10-17 at the Wayback Machine, October 13, 2008. Source: Xinhua/Translated by womenofchina.cn
  12. ^ "Jennifer 8. Lee on The Colbert Report on Tuesday, March 4th, 2008"
  13. ^ "Best Sellers, Hardcover Nonfiction, March 30, 2008"
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