We're big fans of unexpected combinations, and that includes mushrooms and movies. The cool breezes and colorful leaves of autumn signal so many great food-lovers' delights: apple picking, pumpkin picking, festive holiday meals?and for those of us who tired of the endless summer blockbuster (and its sequels): great films. Jason Cortlund doesn't have a full-time food job, but his thoughts on creating a film about food, together with co-director and producer Julia Halperin, are compelling enough to make you want to reserve your seats. Now, Forager opens at the IFC Center on October 3, 2012.

When did you know that you wanted to make a film about food, and mushrooms specifically?

My co-director Julia Halperin and I started talking about the idea of a food movie about cooking rather than eating back in 2005. I started researching and writing that year. From the beginning, we knew that the main characters would be Basque-American and that foraging and fishing would be part of the story. When we moved to New York in 2007, we joined the New York Mycological Society. As I learned about the local mushroom species from the senior members of the club, and much more about the science of fungi, it really evolved our story.

How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for this food film?

Hunting, fishing, foraging, and gardening were a big part of my life growing up, and I was involved since I was old enough to pick a huckleberry. And everyone cooked - the men, the women, old, young. Both Julia and I have worked in the trenches in restaurants. Dishwashing, prepping, waiting, catering... The work is a lot like film production - you're on a tight-knit crew, under extreme pressure every day to knock stuff out, you keep vampire hours. Both lines of work tend to attract the same kinds of personalities.

What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your food film dream?

Independent filmmaking is an endurance sport - mentally and physically. We had a lot of great people helping us along the way, and we needed every one of them. But at the end of the day, no one is more invested in finishing the film and getting it shown than we are. There have definitely been moments where the two of us were exhausted, spread too thin, and we didn't know what was coming next. But it never felt like there wasn't an audience for the film. So we tried to keep up an even pace of making even a just little progress on the film every day. And we're continuing that practice into distribution.

What can you identify as the greatest opportunities in food right now?

That's a great question. We're not directly in the food business, so I'm not sure our point of view is exactly spot-on, but there are a couple things that I think are unique and exciting in the food world right now. First, the apprentice system seems alive and well in American professional kitchens. That someone who might not be able to afford culinary school can get a job in a restaurant, fall in love with cooking, and work their way up learning from different chefs in different kitchens - it's still happening. And there aren't many lines of work where some talent and a love of the job can lead to a career. The other thing that I'm excited about is the number of small farms I see popping up all over the country. I think that's a really positive sign of where things are going in the US.

If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?

If you pay attention, there's always an opportunity to learn. The most successful people I know always have their antennae up to adapt new techniques, ideas, and experiences. It's the most valuable compensation I can think of-and sooner or later, that check always gets cashed.