What's Pressoir Watching? Vas-y coupe !
Victoire
October 21, 2022
To prepare myself as well as possible for my very first La Fete du Champagne, I told myself that I had to watch documentaries, or at least videos of winemakers I was going to have the chance to meet, so I could get to know more about their know-how, their philosophy...
Then I came across this immersive documentary "Vas-y Coupe". And who better than Selosse to get a good first idea about Champagne?
Vas-y Coupe! is a beautifully observed portrait of seasonal labor at THE family-owned vineyard in Champagne, France : Selosse.
Every year for the harvest, a motley team of laborers travels from the north of France to the celebrated vineyard in the Champagne region. Many of them have been picking these grapes for a quarter century and, though the work can be grueling, there is a cherished comfort in the camaraderie, the lovingly prepared meals and the late-night partying. But as the winemaker begins to hand over the business to his son – and younger workers increasingly join the team – it is unclear if this harvest tradition can endure.
Weaving intimate vérité scenes through the whirlwind labor of the harvest, Wine Crush (Vas-y Coupe!) is an immersive and affectionate look at a revolutionary natural Champagne-maker and his loyal workers, and an exploration of French social class, tradition and community.
Vas y Coupe is showing how the annual harvest brings out the humanity of all involved. Naylor strikes the right balance in emphasizing the challenges at all levels of the operation, the dignity of the work, and the satisfaction it provides, underlined nicely by Ryan de Franco’s elegant cinematography and Brian Bender and Deniz Cuylan’s equally graceful score. Befitting of the beverage that is ultimately produced, the chronicle of a season in wine country offers a gratifying taste of life there.
Directors: Laura Naylor
Starring: Anselme Selosse, Guillaume Selosse, Bruno Santiago
Genres: Special Interest, Documentary
Subtitles: English [CC]
Year : 2020
English Title : Wine Crush