Explore Vietnam’s culinary heritage in stunning San Marzano Wines short

Thanks to the team’s connections, they were granted access to a range of stunning locations, including local communities and Buddhist temples. These areas, explored by Luke in the film, are the home of various products he uses in his cooking, whether this is the rice fields of Sapa or lakes where traditional fishing techniques are used. The team shot for eight days in Vietnam, also visiting Luke’s parents’ neighbourhood in Saigon and the valleys of Halong Bay.

Frankie worked closely with cinematographer Mike Allen and music and sound designer James O’Connell to create the film’s stunning cinematic style. He visited the San Marzano wine cellars in Apulia and met their wine producers, mesmerised by the family owned and run company. Frankie injected the same passion into the film, crafting a beautiful response to the story of Luke and San Marzano. He also worked to establish a clear distinction between the fast-paced kitchen scenes and the atmospheric Vietnam footage.

Speaking of this process, Frankie adds: “The general idea was to establish a powerful and dreamy relationship between the hero and the wine. I work as a sculptor: I observe the rough stone and then slowly start to sculpt it to find its natural hidden shape. That’s part of my research. There is a scene where we should the creation of a dish and I wanted it to be extremely different from the scenes in the kitchen where I wanted a different kind of energy; these scenes needed a strong connection with the visuals too. If you watch the film carefully, you’ll notice that it’s all organically connected despite being so different.”

The team also battled challenging weather conditions for the shoot, combating the unpredictable monsoon season and time constraints by scouting locations hours before filming each day. Combining instinct and experience with this organisation, Frankie managed to capture all the stunning and unforgettable visuals seen in the film.

The final film was presented at international food and wine festival Ego Festival in Taranto, Italy.