A Film About Life, Love and the Pursuit Of The Perfect Vintage
Based On The Novel By Elizabeth Knox. Adapted For The Screen
By Niki Caro ( Whale Rider & North Country ) & Joan Scheckel
Set in early 19th century France The Vintner's Luck tells the compelling tale of Sobran Jodeau (Belgian actor Jérémie Renier), an ambitious young peasant winemaker and the three loves of his life; his beautiful and passionate wife Celeste (Oscar nominee: Keisha Castle-Hughes), the proudly intellectual baroness Aurora de Valday (American actor Vera Farmiga) and Xas (Hannibal Rising star Gaspard Ulliel), a fallen angel, who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Sobran which endures for many years.
A fantastical creature with wings that smell of snow, Xas turns out to be an unconventional mentor. Under his guidance Sobran is forced to fathom the nature of love and belief and in the process grapples with the sensual, the sacred and the profane - in pursuit of the perfect vintage. The Vintner's Luck was shot on location in France and New Zealand. The story is set in Burgundy and the production moved between Beaune and Fleurie to take advantage of a range of magnificent settings and period locations. The region boasts more medieval castles, chateaux and strongholds than any other part of France. Those included in the movie are the medieval fortress town of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, Chateau Commarin and the 13th Century Chateau de Berzé-le-Chatel with its 13 towers in the Sa6ne-et-Loire. Also featured are the Bout du Monde and the chapel at Nolay, the wine village of Meursault and the ruined Abbey Sainte- Marguerite de Bouilland. The film had its international première at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film marks the second time Caro has worked with New Zealand actress Keisha Castle-Hughes, who was nominated for an Academy Award at age 13 for her role in Caro's international breakthrough "Whale Rider" in 2002. The Vintner's Luck marks one of the first credits as scriptwriter for actor and script doctor Joan Scheckel.
