Toscana, Netflix is a fresh addition to its refined regional library, it’s the first-ever Danish film to make it to the streamer. It also surprisingly finished filming in only 19 days! It follows a Michelin star restaurant owner/chef Theo, who has come to Toscana aka Tuscany to sell the restaurant he inherited from his father. He wants to utilize the money to build his dream restaurant back in Denmark.

Theo is an angry old man who is grim and lifeless because he has had his struggles. He is extremely meticulous with his work and takes it super seriously; he’s rude to anyone who fails to follow his instructions. Theo has let work take over his life; to him, there is no other meaning to life. This changes when he meets Irene and learns to love life. He understands what cooking with love means, without getting into the technicalities and the meticulousness of it. Here are 5 reasons Toscana is a must-watch.

The cast and crew of Toscana on Netflix

Theo aka Anders Matthesen is a Danish legend; who has more than 40 films crediting his name. When it comes to Theo’s casting, there couldn’t have been a better match.

Sophia aka Cristiana Dell’Anna is relatively new but is well-known for all the work she’s done. She starred in an HBO max series Gomorrah which aired for four years. Other famous works of hers are Mr. Happiness and Trust. The director of the movie is Mehdi Avaz; who is known for movies that leave people thinking. Movies that make people cry. Andrea Bosca, Ghita Nørby, and Lærke Winther too are big names in the Danish cinema.

Dreamiest Toscana locations

Toscana aka Tuscany is situated in Italy. The city of Florence is its capital and a tourist city, Pisa is another famous tourist city located in Tuscany. Both these places have cultural and artistic history giving the region its edge.

The Tuscan landscape is mostly hilly with the Apuan Alps and Apennine mountains adorning its green plains. Tuscany is the major food source for the entire country, which explains its green flats. The place adds invariably to the themes of the movie and makes viewers feel romantic even in scenes with intensity.

It will make you drool

The movie stays authentic to its chef’s narrative because it thoroughly shows the passion he puts into everything he cooks. Fans see him make his Michelin star dishes with utmost dedication, ease, and perfection. The outcomes are always irresistible.

Food remains the central hero of the movie, as it is the reason for Theo’s motivation and Sophia’s love. The film makes you want to plan a trip to Italy.

The background score

The background music of the movie really ties up the Danes with Italy, it’s that dash of lemon that instantly freshens up a drink. It features songs from legendary Italian artists, Ornella Vanoni and Gigliola Cinquetti.

Both their songs are retro from the ’70s and are melodic like the language. It also features Thomas Volmer Schulz who is relatively new but has worked on Mehdi Avaz’s movies before. Here are all songs from Toscana in case you want to feel the movie before watching it.

The cinematography

Every review page has one thing in common with their Toscana reviews; it’s the direction of photography. Michael Sauer Christensen is a director, producer, cinematographer, and editor. His talent already gives an idea about his work.

His camera has patiently captured the Tuscan landscape, and emphasized the chef’s process of cooking, rather than giving fleeting glimpses of the food. Michael’s attention to details makes Toscana an experience of Italy. 

Whether you watch the movie for its reviews or not, it’s worth a watch for an authentic cultural and rural Italian experience. Stream it on Netflix here.