The most profitable robbery ever! By the middle of the 19th century, the West had become totally enchanted with a heady new brew, tea. But, China held the monopoly on its trade and manufacture, which it had fiercely guarded for more than 5,000 years. The British sought to change that, by mounting one of the most audacious espionage missions the world had ever seen: to steal the secret of tea from Imperial China. The man they entrusted with this mission was Robert Fortune, a 36-year-old Scottish botanist.
Produced by Australian Film Finance Corporation, Les Films de la Mémoire, Diane Perelsztejn & Company, La Huit Production, Arte France, RTBF, AVRO
With the support of : Centre du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel de la Communauté Française de Belgique, Télédistributeurs Wallons, Film Victoria, Australian Film Commission, European Union MEDIA Program, Australian Film Finance Corporation, SBS Independent
Additional Information
Career
Festivals and Awards
| Festival International du Film d’Art, Maison de l’UNESCO - Paris | France | Grand Prix du Scénario |
| The New York Festivals – History & Society section | USA | Bronze World Medal |
Broadcasts
| ARTE | Europe | |
| AVRO | Netherlands | |
| ARTV | Canada | |
| Discovery Channel | Asia | 400 diffusions sur plus de 40 pays |
| GOURMET TV | France | |
| HISTORY CHANNEL | United Kingdom, Ireland | |
| HISTORY CHANNEL IBERIA | Spain, Portugal | |
| RAI Sat | Italy | |
| RTBF | Belgium | |
| SBS | Australia | |
| TG4 | Ireland |
Watch Robert Fortune The Tea Thief on Vimeo
The Film
Film Reviews
Press Comments
The View
This documentary is a delightfully told story, albeit one smacking of colonial exploitation. It is both well narrated and filmed in some of the most beautiful areas of the world.
Télé V-7
Monté sur le mode narratif, ce film sur l’épopée de Robert Fortune s’appuie essentiellement sur les propres notes de voyage. Justesse, authenticité, sont les maitres mots de ce documentaire nous immergeant dans une époque et un monde lointains et exotiques.
La Libre Belgique
"Robert Fortune, le voleur de thé" ajoute, au puzzle des récits qui retracent l'histoire et les trajets du thé, une pièce estimable, abondamment documenté, neuve et riche d'enseignements, notamment quant aux ambitions et enjeux économiques, voire politiques, de ce commerce si lié à la culture et au quotidien de l'humanité.
Film Stills
Gallery
