Cinema and Prosecco DOC share something in common: both bring people together through stories. Film tells stories of people, emotions and cultures through images. Prosecco DOC tells the story of a distinctive region, its traditions, its producers and the communities who call it home.
For years, the Prosecco DOC Consortium has brought wine and the arts together, using film to introduce audiences to the cultural heritage and landscapes of the denomination. In this setting, a glass of Prosecco DOC becomes part of an experience that invites people to discover the place and people behind the wine.
That idea is at the heart of Cinema in Cantina, a project that has brought documentary films to the places where wine is made for the past nine years, among the vineyards, wineries and landscapes of northeastern Italy.
Created by the Sole Luna Doc Film Festival and the Prosecco DOC Consortium, and now produced in collaboration with Ginko Film, the series brings together film, place and wine culture. It gives audiences a chance to experience Prosecco DOC as more than a wine: as an expression of the people, traditions and cultural heritage of its region. Participating wineries become part of a journey that pairs the discovery of the territory with the storytelling power of film.
The format is simple: for one evening, a winery becomes an open-air cinema. Producers welcome guests and lead tours of their wineries, offering a closer look at how Prosecco DOC is made and the work behind each bottle. Guests then taste wines from the host winery before settling in for a screening among the vines or in the winery itself. Filmmakers, subjects and other guests often join the evening, bringing the stories on screen into conversation with the audience.
What makes Cinema in Cantina special is its ability to turn wineries into meeting places for people, stories and cultures. Film opens a window onto different lives and perspectives, while the setting invites audiences to explore Prosecco DOC through its landscape, traditions and people. The conversations that follow the screenings create space to ask questions, exchange ideas and connect. At its heart, the series is about sharing a story, a glass of wine and a place.
Across its editions, Cinema in Cantina has explored a wide range of subjects, from sport and music to art, the environment and sustainability, featuring both local filmmakers and international directors.
Its connection to the environment extends beyond the vineyard setting. Screenings are powered by solar energy, reflecting the series’ commitment to more responsible ways of enjoying cultural events.
To date, the series has presented 35 films and welcomed more than 60 guests. They include alpine skier Asja Zenere, climber Angelika Rainer, Paralympic athlete Martina Caironi and Tommaso Romanelli, director of No More Trouble. Guests have also included international filmmakers Justine Harbonnier, director of Caity Blues, and Julien Faraut, director of The Witches of the Orient; Italian filmmakers Giulia Rosco, director of Feneen, Renzo Carbonera, director of Resina, and Marco Zuin, director of Niente Sta Scritto; as well as designer Tobia Scarpa and actress Maria Roveran.
Films screened over the years include Wim Wenders’ Buena Vista Social Club, The Salt of the Earth, Carla Simón’s Alcarràs, winner of the Golden Bear at the 2022 Berlin International Film Festival, and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, starring Zendaya.
Each film offers a starting point for discovering a different world: sporting achievements, artistic journeys, environmental questions, personal passions and human experiences. In the wineries, these stories find a welcoming place to be watched, discussed and shared.
Over the years, Cinema in Cantina has grown into a celebration of the connection between culture and place, helping audiences discover the world of Prosecco DOC. As the project evolves, it remains rooted in the values of the denomination: hospitality, sharing, passion and teamwork.
Through cinema, Prosecco DOC invites visitors to experience its region in a new way, bringing together film, landscape, wine and the people who make it.
