New York filmmaker Laura Naylor’s VAS-Y COUPE!, a beautifully observed portrait of seasonal labor at a family-owned vineyard in France’s Champagne region, will World Premiere at DOC NYC 2019.
Weaving intimate vérité scenes through the whirlwind labor of the harvest, VAS-Y COUPE! is an immersive and affectionate portrait of a revolutionary natural Champagne-maker and his loyal workers, and an exploration of French social class, tradition and community.
Every year for the harvest, a motley team of laborers travels from the north of France to the celebrated Selosse vineyard in the Champagne region. Many of them have been picking these grapes for a quarter century and, though the work can be grueling, there is a cherished comfort in the comradery, the lovingly prepared meals and the late-night partying. But as the winemaker begins to hand over the business to his son—and younger workers increasingly join the team—it is unclear if this harvest tradition can endure.
VAS-Y COUPE! was directed and produced by Laura Naylor, shot by Ryan De Franco (Horses: Patti Smith and Her Band) and edited by Virginie Danglades.
Director Laura Naylor is an award-winning filmmaker who fell for images while studying art at Columbia University. Her directorial debut, Duck Beach – a feature documentary about Mormon singles trying to tie-the knot – premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival and aired on BBC 3 in the UK. Her second feature,The Fix, premiered at AFI Docs, won the jury prize for Best Documentary at the Soho International Film Festival, and was called a “poignant portrait of life in recovery” by The Hollywood Reporter. Her stop-motion adaptation, Bartleby, premiered at Aspen Shortsfest, won the Jury Prize for Best Film at the 2018 Liton Film Fest, screened at Palm Springs International Shortfest, Sarasota Film Festival, Doyle Film Festival, and BAM Cinematek (among others), and landed as a Vimeo Staff Pick. Laura lives in Brooklyn with her understanding partner and one-year-old daughter.
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