¿Qué une a un divorciado deprimido aspirante a escritor y un actor fracasado -y gran seductor- que está a punto de casarse? Una buena película y una historia repleta de vino. Un viaje de vacaciones de una extraña pareja -una de esas que sólo aparecen en el cine-, pero que los azares de la vida podría hacerla verosímil en la realidad. Se trata de la película Sideways (“Entre copas”), un film de producción estadounidense que se estrenó en el año 2004, y que se hizo eco entre los amantes del vino.
Winner of an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay (from Rex Pickett's novel of the same name), and a non-winner of the Oscar for Best Non-Human Actor, clearly wine, the film is a true cinematic ode to this priceless beverage.
Fotograma de la película “Sideways” (2004), dirigida por Alexander Payne, protagonizada por Paul Giamatti y Thomas Haden Church
The film has witty dialogues and brings something to the table: no matter what your background is, there is always a good feeling between wine lovers. Because wine brings people together. Whoever is satisfied with a cheap Merlot will probably not enjoy the pleasure of tasting a lover of a perfect Pinot.
Aquellos que hayan disfrutado viendo Sideways probablemente hayan quedado con el paladar sediento. Pero tranquilos, que la bodega está repleta de títulos. En la vinocineteca se encuentran docenas de títulos madurando. Para los amantes de lo añejo no hay más que recurrir a apuestas seguras como Alfred Hitchcock, con la película Encadenados (“Notorious”, 1946), con Cary Grant e Ingrid Bergman. El film contiene todos los ingredientes esenciales del maestro del suspense: espías americanos enamorados, nazis intentando reorganizarse en Brasil y, por supuesto, botellas de vino -que guardan algo más que vino- y emocionantes escenas en una gran bodega.
Fotograma de la película “Encadenados” (1946), dirigida por Alfred Hitchcock, con Cary Grant e Ingrid Bergman.
Otro título a poner en reserva es el de Días de vino y rosas (“Days of Wine and Roses”, 1962), en el que Blake Edwards une a la pareja de Jack Lemon y Lee Remick para recordarnos lo imporante que es disfrutar del vino… con moderación.
¿Te quedaste con ganas de más vino californiano? Entonces no te pierdas Esta tierra es mía (“This earth is mine”, 1959), de Henry King -no confundir con “This land is mine” de Jean Renoir, 1943-, con Rock Hudson y Jean Simmons.
Para los amantes de lo contemporáneo, títulos como Un paseo por las nubes (‘A Walk in the Clouds’, 1992) de Alfonso Arau; el documental Mondovino (2004), de Jonathan Nossiter; Un buen año (‘A good year’, 2006), de Ridley Scott; Julie & Julia (2009), de Nora Ephron; o incluso la serie de televisión Gran Reserva (2010), de Carlos Sedes, también serían opciones interesantes a tener en el botellero.
Film and Wine Festivals
La Solana
But if you are really passionate about the magical combination of film and wine, then you should definitely go for the big one: wine film festivals. The municipality of La Solana (in the province of Ciudad Real) has been organising for the last 12 editions what is the oldest wine film festival in Spain. Spain's oldest wine and film festival. The event, organised by La Solana Town Council and the La Mancha Designation of Origin -through the Municipal Board of the Festival-, takes place in the first week of December and includes awards in two main categories: Film Awards and Wine of Cinema.
In addition to its official sections, the Festival carries out a series of parallel activities (exhibitions, competitions and wine tastings, tapas tasting, etc.) with which it aims to make a cultural commitment to the region.
SEMINCI
Further north, in Valladolid, is where the SEMINICIValladolid International Film Week, which has been running for no less than 60 years now. In its last edition (2015), the event included a section dedicated especially to the cinema and wineThe event, which combined the screening of films related to the world of wine and wine tasting of wine from different regions, and even countries.
Most Penedès
But you have to go to Catalonia, specifically to Vilafranca del Penedès, to find the only international festival entirely dedicated to film and wine. The Most, Penedès International Wine and Cava Film Festivalhas been running for 6 editions now and is still going strong.
Most Festival, organised by the Vinseum - Museum of Wine Cultures of Catalonia and the Cine Club Vilafranca, brings together audiovisual productions related to the culture of the vine, wine and cava. The event is a toast to good cinema with the screening of films by great directors that have not been released commercially and a good selection of short films.
Apart from disseminating the arts and wine cultures through audiovisual creation, the festival aims to bring oenology closer to the audience -from all possible angles-, promoting values such as quality, diversity or involvement with the territory.
Held in the first half of November, the festival offers a wide range of activities linked to the world of wine, film and wine tourism for all audiences. Most Festival also becomes the main event organised in Catalonia on the occasion of the European Day of Wine Tourism (8th November).
Oenovidéo
And if you still feel like going north, you might well consider attending the Oenovidéo International Film and Wine Festival in Frontignan, one of the most important and longest-running events in the world of film and wine. International Oenovidéo Festivalone of the most important - and the oldest with 23 editions already held - in the world of film and wine, in the muscat capital of the world, Frontignan, in Languedoc-Roussillon, France.
In 20 years, the festival has introduced its attendees to more than 1,200 films in competition, awarding prizes to a total of 200 films. In the last edition, held last May, the festival's line-up included a selection of 28 films, a total of 15 hours of screenings.
For 80 years, the appellation Frontignan has become the red carpet for film, photography and wine enthusiasts and professionals. Between sessions, festival-goers were able to awaken their senses in the Muscat lands, along with film producers and directors, and the characteristic sweet wine taste of Frontignan.
At the beginning of the article we saw how Sideways became a particular film roadtrip for wine lovers. We hope that with this article the reader will decide to start their particular route to the most vinéphile festivals in Spain.
