Mondovino (2004)

Director:

Jonathan Nossiter

Writer:

Jonathan Nossiter (writer)

Release Date:

3 November 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

A documentary on the impact of globalization on the world's different wine regions.

Plot Keywords:

Wine | Globalization | Wine Making | Vineyard | Agriculture

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Albiera Antinori	...	Herself
Allegra Antinori	...	Herself
Lodovico Antinori	...	Himself
Piero Antinori	...	Himself
Isanette Bianchetti	...	Herself
Jean-Charles Boisset	...	Himself
Marchioness Bona	...	Herself
Michael Broadbent	...	Himself
Antonio Cabezas	...	Himself
Battista Columbu	...	Herself
Lina Columbu	...	Herself
Xavier de Eizaguirre	...	Himself
Alix de Montille	...	Herself
Etienne de Montille	...	Himself
Hubert de Montille	...	Himself
Arnaldo Etchart	...	Himself (grandfather)
Marco Etchart	...	Himself
Salvatore Ferragamo	...	Himself
Marquis Dino Frescobaldi	...	Himself
Aime Guibert	...	Himself
Bill Harlan	...	Himself
Yvonne Hegoburu	...	Herself
Patrick Léon	...	Himself
Bernard Magrez	...	Himself
Margrit Mondavi	...	Herself
Michael Mondavi	...	Himself
Robert Mondavi	...	Himself
Tim Mondavi	...	Himself
Jonathan Nossiter	...	Himself
Robert Parker	...	Himself
Michel Rolland	...	Himself
Neal Rosenthal	...	Himself
James Suckling	...	Himself
Inaldo Tedesco	...	Himself
Jean-Luc Thunevin	...	Himself
Massimo Vinci	...	Himself
Patrizia Vinci	...	Herself
Marquis Vittorio	...	Himself

Directed by
Jonathan Nossiter

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jonathan Nossiter		writer

Produced by
Emmanuel Giraud	....	producer
Catherine Hannoun	....	executive producer
Jonathan Nossiter	....	producer
Juan Pittaluga	....	associate producer
Ricardo Preve	....	co-producer
Michel Saint-Jean	....	co-producer
Tommaso Vergallo	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Jonathan Nossiter

Film Editing by
Jonathan Nossiter

Production Management
François Drouot	....	production manager
Rodolphe Risse	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Laurent Gorse	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Nostradine Benguezzou	....	sound
Juan Pittaluga	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Juan Pittaluga	....	additional camera operator
Stephanie Pommez	....	assistant camera
Stephanie Pommez	....	co-camera operator

Editorial Department
Serge Anthony	....	color timer
Angelo Cosimano	....	post-production
François Dupuy	....	post-production
Juan Eveno	....	post-production
Madeleine Gavin	....	consultant: editing
Gustavo Pizzi	....	post-production
Toby Ridgway	....	post-production

Other crew
Guillaume Lips	....	digital grader
Gustavo Pizzi	....	pre-production assistant
Marie Sonne-Jensen	....	production assistant

Thanks
Karim Ainouz	....	special thanks
Oren Moverman	....	special thanks
Ira Sachs	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Diaphana Films (co-production)
• Goatworks Films
• Les Films de la Croisade
• Ricardo Preve Films (co-production)

Distributors

• 791 Cine (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cinequanon (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Diaphana Films (France) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• THINKFilm (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• BIM Distribuzione (2005) (Italy) (all media)
• EuroVideo (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Four Films (2007) (Chile) (DVD)
• Sagrera TV (2006) (Spain) (all media)

Also Known As:

Mondovino (Argentina)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief pin-up nudity.

Runtime:

135 min | France:159 min

Country:

Argentina | France | Italy | USA

Language:

English | French | Italian | Spanish | Portuguese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Spain:T | Argentina:Atp | Germany:6 | Austria:6 | Greece:K | Belgium:KT | Italy:T | France:U | UK:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13 | Australia:PG | Netherlands:AL | Sweden:Btl | Brazil:Livre

Company:

Diaphana Films

Goofs:

Errors in geography: During the shots showing the rail trip to Baltimore to visit wine critic Robert Parker, the word "Delaware" is superimposed, but the "PATH" logo is clearly visible on the passing building, which places the building in New Jersey. PATH is a commuter railroad operated between New Jersey and Manhattan by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and it has no facilities in Delaware.

Austin Movie Show review

Mondovino is a dense, rich, and complex documentary on the power struggles and major players of the "wine world" elite. It depicts the endless struggle of the old world versus the new global capitalist order. On one hand we have the older, aging, independent grape-growers and wine makers of Burgundy and Tuscany. They have a philosophy of wine as a symbol of civilization. It's not simply a commodity to them. The production and consumption of wine is a religious experience between man and the earth.

On the other side of the "war" are the major wine-producing conglomerates, such as the Mondavi family of Napa Valley or the producers of Ornelliai wine in Italy. No, these aren't bad people. They simply have a different philosophy on wine production, and they eagerly embrace the new technologies and innovations in wine fermentation, such as the "New Oak" barrels that speed up production. They also hire Michel Rollan, a world-famous "wine consultant," who tells people how they can better the quality of their wine through different production processes. But the smaller, more independent wineries see "wine consultants" as harmful to diversity, because they worry that consultants seek to make all wine the same. Just because one consultant likes or doesn't like a wine, does not mean that every pallet will agree.

Mondovino also shows the dark histories of many of the world's most powerful wine producers. Some of the most successful wine makers in France collaborated with Nazi Germany in World War II, and most of the major wine producers in Italy supported Fascism and Mussolini. There are still racist and elitist undertones in much of the wine world today. Mondovino carefully weaves together the web of land, power, politics, and wine.

This film is a lot a great bottle of wine. It's complex, multifaceted, and can't be rushed. I'm not going to lie -- Mondovino is not a short movie. It's over two hours long. But like a great wine gets better with age, so to does this movie get better as time progresses.

If you've ever wanted to know more about wine and the people who make it, this film is a great resource to learn from. "Wine people" are going to love it. But for the average Joe who just wants a good time at the theater, this probably is not the best selection for him. It's not entertaining as much as it's educational, and if you're not in the mood, you're not going to feel it. Just like how you can't enjoy a savory glass of Pinot Noir if all you want is a beer.