NYC: Free Films Featuring Free Food

All right, recessionistas and frugal-living cheapskates. This one's for you. Starting this Saturday, the NYC Food Film Festival will be kicking off its third season. What makes this festival a standout is the part where they not only serve the films to you at no cost; they also hand out free food at the films -- food that was featured in the films. Genius! So that means if you head on over to the Beef Is Bueno screening, you might just score some Argentine beef for your belly. Likewise, if you choose Know Your Mushrooms (which has an amazing score by The Flaming Lips), you'll also be treated to a mushroom-tasting session. More details and fest trailer after the jump.

Screenings of films take place at Astor Center, Water Taxi Beach L.I.C, and Water Taxi Beach South Street Seaport. While most every screening is actually free (and the food too!), you will have to buy tickets for the opening night and the mushroom night. Opening night ($35) features a pair of short films by Joe York: “Mutton: The Movie” and “Buttermilk: It Can Help.” The food portion will include BBQed mutton and a buttermilk tasting. The mushroom night will feature a showing of the film “Know Your Mushrooms,” and the food part will include a mushroom tasting as well as Chef Brad Farmerie’s (of Double Crown and Public) aged ribeye mushroom cheesesteaks. Both of those nights are at Astor Center. Other than those two ticketed events, entry is free, though the festival is requesting donations of two canned goods per person for the Food Bank for New York City. Check out the full schedule here.