Isabel

A love letter to São Paulo, sensually captured on grainy 16mm film, and to the unruly pleasures of wine – as well as a celebration of resilience and the imperfect pursuit of happiness.

Isabel is a skilled and talented sommelier in São Paulo’s gourmet restaurant scene. She dreams of escaping her unappreciative boss and opening her own wine bar, where she gets to decide what goes into the glass.

Faced with a macho culture and a city devoted to beer and caipirinhas, Isabel takes a chance and opens Os Rejeitados (“The Rejected”), a neighbourhood spot dedicated to natural wine … what could possibly go wrong?

Gabe Klinger’s first film made in his native Brazil is as much a portrait of his hometown, São Paulo, as it is of the film’s main character. “Brazil’s gastronomic capital” comes vividly to life as middle-aged sommelier Isabel tries to make her dream a reality.