A Documentary Takes Ecuador’s Chonero Cheese Tradition to an International Contest
The film documents the production of queso chonero, a traditional cheese from Chone in Ecuador’s Manabí province. Its story links the product to cattle farming, rural households and techniques passed down through successive generations.
Its award came in Food Film Menu 2026’s Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship category. The jury cited elements including the short film’s opening, the quality of its images and its audiovisual production standards. The award applies to the documentary, rather than constituting an international prize for the cheese itself.
The production follows the process from cattle milking to the curdling of milk and the manual pressing of the cheese. It features farming families and regional producers, while also examining milk quality, the characteristics of zebu cattle and the ecological conditions around Chone. These elements are presented as part of the product’s local identity.
Queso chonero has been recognised as cultural heritage because of its social, historical and gastronomic significance. The film includes contributions from cattle farmers, small-scale producers, academics and local businesspeople. Their accounts address the cheese’s cultural role and its economic importance to the region, alongside footage of farms, estates, rural landscapes and family settings connected with its preparation.
Another subject covered by the documentary is the producers’ aim of obtaining a designation of origin. The proposed designation would identify the cheese with its territory and acknowledge the knowledge and characteristics associated with its historical production. Producers also associate the initiative with differentiating the product in the market and strengthening its commercial position.
The Ecuadorian entry forms part of the Manabí Gastronomía Milenaria initiative and was submitted through the provincial prefecture. After the jury’s award, the film was placed on the shortlist for the Public’s Favourite Film alongside 13 other winning productions. The public vote remains open until August 30th 2026.
