Karine Jean-Pierre, the former White House press secretary, has joined the production team of“Terroir,”an indie thriller from director Jesse Harris. The film is set in the wine world and follows a vineyard worker and a wine critic who uncover secrets at a renowned vineyard, exploring the contrast between the luxury side of wine and the migrant and low-income workers behind it.
Harris hopes to shoot in Chile next March with a budget of $3 million to $5 million. Jean-Pierre is helping connect the project with potential cast, collaborators and investors, drawing on the network she built over 20 years in politics. She’s honest about the adjustment, saying she’s not a producer and there’s going to be a lot for her to learn.
Since leaving the White House in January 2025, Jean-Pierre has pursued consulting, speaking and commentary work, and published a memoir. She became the first Black person and first openly LGBTQ person to serve as White House press secretary in May 2022. Would you watch a wine industry thriller just because she’s behind it?
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Local Lawton
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