Geoff Callan Movies

Brought together by a curious twist of fate on a dusty California road, a wandering vintner and a struggling winemaker find both their lives, and their careers, forever transformed at a blind Parisian wine tasting that introduced the world to the extraordinary wines of Napa Valley. The year is 1976, and Napa Valley has yet to gain the reputation as one of world's best-known wine regions. Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman) has sacrificed everything in life to realize his dream of creating the perfect Chateau Montelena. Yet despite the fact that Jim's Napa Valley vineyard has great potential, his son, Bo (Chris Pine), doesn't seem to have much interest in the family business. Most days, Jim and Bo can be found trading blows in their backyard boxing ring -- their attempts to knock a bit of sense into one another usually amounting to naught. Meanwhile, in Paris, British expatriate Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) finds necessity dictating that he educate Parisians on the latest wines to come out of California. Steven owns the Académie du Vin, and is eager to travel to the United States in order to ensure that he has conducted his research properly. Little did Steven and Jim realize that they were both on course for a chance meeting that would revolutionize the wine industry while opening up a whole new world of possibilities for wine lovers everywhere. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Filmmakers Geoff Callan and Mike Shaw examine the shifting perception of legal unions in 21st Century America with this documentary centering on the subject of same-sex marriage. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was just thirty-five days into his term when, on February 12, 2004, he gave San Francisco's Assessor-Recorder Mabel Teng orders to preside over the marriage of iconic lesbian activists Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Shortly thereafter, United States President George W. Bush implored Congress to pass an amendment explicitly defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. As thousands of same-sex couples flocked to San Francisco City Hall in hopes of pledging their love for their partners, a deeply divisive storm began to brew in the American political landscape. Protestors accused Mayor Newsom of political anarchy, demanding that he resign immediately and that the weddings stop. Less than one month later, on March 11, 2004, the justices of the California Supreme Court declared that same-sex marriages were to cease immediately. In this documentary, filmmakers allow viewers a closer look into San Francisco's new generation of politics while examining the long-term implications of civil and human rights decisions and posing questions about the roles that values and government play in the lives of everyday Americans. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide