Jason Wise takes us on a remarkable journey of ‘Somm: Cup of Salvation,’ detailing how the film switched gears mid-shoot and followed through with a clandestine mission to Iran to procure grapes from vineyards that date back thousands of years. These vineyards hadn’t made white wine since alcohol was banned in 1979 in the country.
Somm: Cup of Salvation’s cinematographer Jackson Myers and director Jason Wise turned their cameras toward the ancient abbey Khor Virap in Armenia. Thanks To Forgotten Man Films.
When Wise set out to make the 4th documentary in his Somm series, his goal was to create a film steeped in history and religion, more of a “World Earth” of wine. However, his encounter with wine maker Vahe Keushguerian in Armenia led to a change in plans.
Somm: Cup of Salvation focuses on Keushguerian and his daughter Aimee, who is also a wine maker, and their journey to elevate Armenian wine. In the making of the film, Vahe embarked on a daring journey to Iran to uncover the fate of the Rasheh grapes vineyards. Without revealing too much, the mission yields success, resulting in the creation of the first wine from Iranian grapes in almost 50 years under their Molana label.
Wise has earned acclaim for his wine documentaries – having directed 3 previous Somm films and launched Somm television, a subscription streaming platform focused on food and wine. However, Cup of Salvation stands out. Wise sees it as a “geopolitical thriller” and a father-daughter story. The complexity and risks involved in this venture have made it challenging to promote.
“You have to figure out how you’re going to position it,” Wise explains. They are striving to captivate audiences without appearing to brag about the high-stakes aspect of the story. “These are real people and their lives are affected by how this movie is received. It’s both the dream and the scariest thing you can have for a filmmaker. The excitement for Vahe’s and Aimee’s wines being known to the world outweighs the concern, otherwise I wouldn’t have made this.”
The film, self-distributed by Wise, had a limited theatrical run and will be shown at the Angelika in New York from Dec. 7-10 and in L.A. later this month. (More details here)
Wise spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the remarkable story twist in his film and why he’s still a bit anxious about Vahe’s “turbulent” journey to Iran. » …Read More rnrn
