BOTTLE CONDITIONED is female produced and includes people of all ages, but most of all it touches on a small group of brewers and blenders, who refuse to sacrifice their values for money. During the post-production process, we are firm on being inclusive and hiring a diverse array of artists.

THE STORY

This film chronicles an entire year of lambic production, while getting to know the brewers and blenders in the Zenne River Valley of Belgium. Bound by a common passion for lambic beer, their approach and ideologies differ when it comes to upholding traditional methods of brewing and protecting this heritage. Moreover, with the recent rush in demand for this beer, new lambic brewers and blenders are emerging- something inconceiveable ten years ago- and they're pushing the bounderies of tradition. This leaves the question: what does the future hold for this community, in a region defined by its traditions?

 

WHY LAMBIC?

Similar to wine, lambic is defined by a specific region, climate and amount of time in the barrel. It is brewed in small batches, making it limited and highly sought after by people from all over the world. Lambic almost disappeared during the rise of corporate beer in the 1970s and it wasn’t until recently that it began to see a dramatic revival, saving the last remaining brewers and blenders from bankruptcy.

With people's desire to live, eat, and drink healthier, lambic encompasses the very essence of today's return to tradition. For beer, it is the most natural fermentation in the world. A true farm to table product.

 

WHY DONATE?

Brewing beer is easy. Blending beer is art. But blending lambic is a lifetime of knowledge and experience. By supporting the making of this film, you support the artful process of making lambic and help bring further awareness to its existence.

We all dream of making a living off of our artisitc endeavours. That hope drives a certain element of idealistic romance in our culture. However, attempting to achieve this requires that we take a risky leap, left to face the consequences that may come with such a decision. Traditional lambic producers know that risk. And this film explores the immense hardship these last remaining lambic brewers and blenders had to go through for decades before the tides turned. From the financial failures to the difficulties of standing true to themselves when everyone around them told them to quit, these brewers and blenders are not only an example but an inspiration.

 

THE FILMMAKERS

Director and producer Jerry Franck has worked in the film industry for more than 15 years, calling Los Angeles home. His most notable work includes producing the Oscar-nominated documentary Chau, Beyond the Lines (www.beyondthelinesfilm.com) and distributing it through such outlets as Netflix, The Atlantic and Al Jazeera English.

Courtney Marsh is the producer and main editor of BOTTLE CONDITIONED. As a frequent collaborator with Jerry, she directed the Oscar-nominated Chau, Beyond the Lines. Her film was screened all over the world and she spoke at the United Nations and the United States Senate to help advocate for agent orange cleanup in Vietnam. 

Mario Contini is the Cinematographer of this film. His experience and talents as a lighting cameraman have been recognized worldwide. Mario has shot a number of high profile music videos for artists such as Drake, Post Malone and Katy Perry. Mario is also an executive producer on BOTTLE CONDITIONED, having contributed his own money to the first round of filming.

 

OUR APPROACH

With the technical knowledge and experience to see films through, from beginning to end, we strive to keep this project independant and honest. This is achieved by keeping the crew small and letting the subjects on screen tell the story; a fly on the wall approach while also not shying away from asking the tough questions.