Director of “Roadrunner” on the suicide of Anthony Bourdain, Asia Argento and the “untreated trauma” of the audience

Three years after the suicide of Anthony Bourdain at the age of 61, the famous chef is still noticed. A new documentary brings this attention to the boil.

“Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain” takes an intimate look at the life of the food and travel television star, from his resounding success as the author of the 2000 memoir “Kitchen Confidential” to his rise in popular series like “No Reservations” and “Pieces Unknown”. The film takes a turn as it deals with his death and the attempts of those close to him to deal with the loss.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (“Won’t you be my neighbor?” And “20 feet from fame”) said he wanted his film to address what he called some of the “untreated trauma” of audiences. around the sudden death of Bourdain.

Years after his death, Bourdain’s influence persisted in popular culture. “World Travel: An Irreverent Guide,” a posthumous book by Bourdain and Laurie Woolever, topped several bestseller lists in the spring. Ms. Woolever’s book, “Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography,” arrives September 28, the same day as “In the Weeds: Around the World and Behind the Scenes with Anthony Bourdain,” from Bourdain’s longtime producer and director. , Tom Vitale.

“Roadrunner,” which hits theaters Friday, examines Bourdain’s relationship with his latest girlfriend, Italian actress and director Asia Argento. It deals with a tabloid scandal that surfaced days before the chef’s death, alleging Ms Argento was involved in another romance outside of her relationship with Bourdain.