The Vintner's Luck (2011)

Directed by Niki Caro (WHALE RIDER) and starring Vera Farmiga (THE DEPARTED, UP IN THE AIR) and Keisha Castle-Hughes (WHALE RIDER, STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH), The Vintner's Luck tells the compelling tale of Sobran Jodeau, an ambitious young peasant winemaker and the three loves of his life; his beautiful and passionate wife Celeste, the proudly intellectual baroness Aurora de Valday and Xas, 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. Set in 19th century France, the film was shot on location in France and New Zealand.