SEVILLE, Spain — In Spain, jamón is more than just food. It is culture, heritage, and a deeply rooted symbol of national identity. This documentary explores the story of Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, a rare and highly prized cured ham made from free-roaming, acorn-fed Iberian pigs. Filmed primarily at La Umbría Ibérico Ecológico, a small, family-run farm in southern Spain, this film offers an intimate look at a slow, sustainable process that spans years—from raising the animals on 120 hectares of oak-covered pasture, to hand-curing each ham using traditional, additive-free methods.
“You need to be sustainable because this treasure that is our environment is not just for you, it’s for the next generation,” says Antonio Marin, a veterinarian and third-generation farmer. Producing about 40 pigs a year, La Umbría is part of a quiet resistance to industrial farming, where flavor, ecology, and tradition still take precedence. In a world increasingly focused on speed and scale, this story reveals the enduring value of patience, purpose, and the preservation of cultural legacy.