

Elijah must balance his dream of becoming a master sommelier with his father's expectations that he carry on the family's Memphis BBQ joint.
Acting
Mamoudou Athie's quiet desperation hits like a full-bodied red.
Writing
Prentice Penny's script treats Black middle-class life as ordinary, radical.
Cinematography
Memphis smoke vs. French vineyards: every frame contrasts two worlds.

Director
Prentice Penny
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
One of few films centered on Black wine culture; Prentice Penny drew from his own father's BBQ legacy in South Central LA.
Mamoudou Athie trained with actual master sommeliers and can now blind-taste like his character—method acting meets actual useful skill.