ORGANIC AND NATURAL WINES OF THE REGION

The fifth evening of the CINE programme at the Sutivan Open Air Cinema held on August 5 was dedicated to organic, natural and biodynamic wines. Our guests were Marijeta Čalić and Denis Bogoević-Marušić, from the Pelješac winery Križ, and Bojan Baša from the Fruška Gora winery "Baša", the pioneers of organic vine-growing in Croatia and Serbia.

Denis and Marijeta are the first producers of natural wines from the autochthonous Grk and Plavac mali varieties. Inspired by the philosophy of Slow Food, they started - together with the families Bartulović, Miloš and Vukas - the Presidium - Pelješac varenik. This symbol of Dubrovnik gastronomy, which is obtained by long cooking the must of Plavac mali, has been produced for the market for the first time thanks to the Slow Food Presidium. We talked with Marijeta, Denis and Bojana about the beginnings of their wine adventures, moving to Pelješac and Fruška Gora, their perseverance with the idea of natural wine production and global success which, in the end, rewarded their arduous work. All this, of course, while enjoying a glass of natural wine and some cheese with varenik.

The conversation was followed by a screening of the film “Good Things Await” directed by Phie Ambo. The film is about Niels Stockholm, a man approaching his eighties who chose the salvation of the red Danish cow breed for his life mission. The director Phie Ambo follows Niels throughout the year as his biodynamic farm, which he runs with his partner Rita, is regularly visited by the government inspectors who claim that Niels’ farming methods do not comply with the animal welfare rules. Stockholm faces heavy fines and the threat of closing down his farm. But Niels is a stubborn man.

The Cinema communities for Innovation, Networks and Environment (CINE) project is funded by the European Union and coordinated by Slow Food. As well as the French MobilEvent, and the Croatian association Kinookus, the other partners are the Associazione Cinemambiente, the Cinema Boaro in Ivrea (province of Turin), the CinemaVittoria in Bra (province of Cuneo) and the City of Cherasco (province of Cuneo) in Italy.