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Aussie doco Red Obsession set for theatrical release

copyright: Lion Rock Films Pty Ltd. 2012

Peter Tseng Billionaire wine collector

A new Australian documentary about the international wine industry will see a theatrical release from major distributor, Roadshow Films.

Red Obsession is produced by Lion Rock Films with David Roach writing and co-directing and Warwick Ross producing and co-directing.

The film, made for just over $1m is currently in post-production.

With a letter of intent from Roadshow, the film is expected in cinemas in early 2013.

Only nine documentaries were released to theatres in 2011, none by any of the major distributors.

Red Obsession’s story of the international wine trade is the backbone to discuss the impact China’s growing influence is having in various industries.

Roach told Encore: “It’s a documentary about wine, but its also about the shift of economic power from West to East. In Australia we look to China to buy our raw material – How much should we buy into their market and how much do we rely on our own market.”

The film, which was shot primarily across five main vineyards in France’s wine region Bordeaux, the London wine trading floors and Hong Kong wine auction rooms, looks at the growing number of cashed up Chinese investors discovering the wine culture and inflating wine prices.

Roach added: “In the West, we drink about 50 bottles per head per year to China’s one bottle. But with 1.5bn population, as soon as they drink a little more wine there won’t be enough in the world.”

The film features interviews with legendary film-maker and wine maker Frances Ford Coppola and Sir Michael Parkinson.

It is funded by private investors but will leverage Screen Australia’s Producer Offset. Lion Rock has yet to assign an international sales agent but are in talks with Chinese distributors.

Roach wrote and produced WWI feature film Beneath Hill 60, and is currently writing Banjo & Matilda, to be directed by Bruce Beresford, director of Mao’s Last Dancer, Peace Love and Misunderstanding and the original Puberty Blues.

His past credits with Ross include the three Yahoo Serious films; Young Einstein, Reckless Kelly and Mr Accident, all of which distributed by Roadshow Films.

Village Roadshow chairman Rob Kirby and Ross are both wine-makers on the Mornington Peninsula, with Kirby’s label Yabby Lake and Ross’s Portsea Estate.

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