New Zealand director Niki Caro’s The Vintner’s Luck has been added to the Toronto International Film Festival line-up. The film, adapted from the novel by Elizabeth Knox, will have a red carpet Special Presentation premiere during the Festival’s opening weekend. 

The Vintner’s Luck stars Jeremie Renier, Gaspard Ulliel, Vera Farmiga and Oscar nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes. Niki Caro will be at the Festival to introduce the film.  She will be joined by the lead cast along with producers Robin Laing, Pascal Judelewicz, Ludi Boeken and Jean-Francois Klein.

"The Vintner’s Luck will be my third film to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival,” says director Niki Caro. “I couldn’t be more delighted and honoured that TIFF has chosen to include it as a Special Presentation."

The Special Presentation programme is described by the Festival as “a showcase of high-profile films featuring major stars and directors from around the world”.

The Vintner’s Luck is an irresistible story of love, wine and angels set in early 19th century France. It tells the tale of an ambitious young peasant winemaker and his lifelong relationship with an angel as together they grapple with the sensual, the sacred and the profane in search of the perfect vintage.

The screenplay was adapted by Niki Caro and Joan Scheckel from the acclaimed New Zealand novel of the same name by Elizabeth Knox. 

The Vintner’s Luck is a New Zealand – France co production financed by the NZ Film Production Fund, the NZ Film Commission, Motion Investment Group, CPB3, OLC/Rights Entertainment (Japan), Ascension Film, Acajou Films, Kortex, NZ On Air, TV3 and Birka Holding AB.

NZ Film, which is the sales arm of the NZ Film Commission, is handling world sales of the film.

The Vintner’s Luck will be released in New Zealand on 12 November 2009 by Hoyts Distribution on behalf of Icon Film Distribution.

The thirty-fourth annual Toronto International Film Festival will be held from 10 – 19 September 2009.  The last New Zealand film to have a Special Presentation was The World’s Fastest Indian in 2005.