Strawberries
and Wine
Commandment
VII : One
shall live
with integrity and overcome selfishness.
Three siblings, Michael (Mark Houghton), Nicholas
(Jordan Henry) and Jean (Abby Zotz) reunite at the vineyard where they
grew up one year after the passing of their parents. Michael’s
wife Diana (Susan Eyton-Jones), their family and friends, and a couple
of uninvited guests (Iona Brindle), join them as they come together
for a final commemoration of the passing of their parents. As
new passions set in, choices will be made between integrity and selfishness,
and about what the future will hold, not just for the vineyard, but
for them as well.
Charles Thompson and Heather Thompson both died
within the last year. Their three children Michael, Nicholas and Jean
reunite for their annual picnic in their parents’ vineyard which
has in the meantime been left to the care of George and Agnes Lopati,
a Hungarian pair of siblings whose tasks were vineyard manager and maid
to the Thompson estate.
Jean and Nicholas are both unconcerned in taking
over the vineyard, so all fingers point toward Michael, who is there
with his wife Diana, to take over the parent’s succession. Michael
and Diana are the perfect yuppie couple. She is a successful opera soprano
and he is her manager. They are busy, travel much, maybe a bit too much
for Michael’s taste. But Diana doesn’t seem to mind. She is
happy with her lifestyle and is rather cool at the idea of taking over
the vineyard just as she is hesitant at having any children.
Chris Ford, un-invited guest and Jean's long-time
friend has just broken up with her boyfriend from Hong Kong, James Woo.
She realizes that instead of the extravagant but valueless life she
has been living she wants something serious. She wants to fall in love,
real love, she wants a meaningful life and a solid relationship, and
children. When Chris shows up at the vineyard, the attraction is immediate
between Michael and her.
Michael is obviously unsatisfied
in his relationship but he feels he owes it to his wife to respect his
commitment, and Chris on the other hand is not the type who enjoys destroying
marriages and maybe not ready to throw herself into another relationship.
George insists that Michael
take over the family business. Under pressure Michael realizes what
his life is un-satisfying and makes a decision to change his life by
accepting the challenge of a new lifestyle and a new love.
Diana
is a fighter. She values her career more than her marriage, but she
feels that her marriage to Michael is an essential part of it. And maybe...
just maybe, there is a tiny bit of love remaining underneath the surface.
She tells Michael that she is ready to sacrifice her career. She announces
that she is pregnant and that she wants the child. Michael turns around
and decides to stay with her. If the need for change in his life is
accepted by Diana, Diana is accepted by him. This sets Chris’s
emotions into full spin.
The last evening of the weekend,
more guests join to commemorate the death of the Thompson’s. As
Uncle Tim reads a poem celebrating their life, Jean, Nicholas and Michael
spread the ashes of their parents over the vines. Everybody is very
emotional. Especially Chris, who after having heard that Diana is pregnant,
has decided to leave early. But Diana, who has lied to Michael, is not
getting the much needed support from Agnes for her scheme to keep her
husband. Honor and humility force Diana to admit to Michael her cunning
lies. Michael who finally is given freedom hurries to catch the drive-away
car, and in it his true love and future, Chris.
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2008 ONEIRA PICTURES INTERNATIONAL
