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The Birth of Saké

Play trailer Poster for The Birth of Saké 2015 1h 30m Documentary Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
During an unrelenting winter in northern Japan, a small group of workers must brave tough working conditions to brew the 2,000-year-old tradition known as sake.

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The Birth of Saké

Critics Reviews

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Mike D'Angelo AV Club 12/01/2016
One needn't be a drinker, or particularly interested in Japanese culture, to be fascinated by this documentary portrait of the Tedorigawa Brewery, which was founded nearly 150 years ago and is one of the last remaining breweries that makes sak by hand. Go to Full Review Daniel M. Gold New York Times 03/17/2016
"The Birth of Sake" is an engrossing introduction to the traditional cultivation of the rice-based alcohol that is part of Japan's cultural heritage. But the film's true focus is an endangered way of life. Go to Full Review Simon Abrams Village Voice 03/15/2016
Shirai doesn't answer a major question that viewers of his impressionistic slice of work-life doc The Birth of Sak are bound to wonder: Why does the Tedorigawa Brewery's arduous, old-fashioned fermentation process make its sake superior? Go to Full Review David Noh Film Journal International 03/21/2016
WARNING: if you love the very special beverage called sak, your mouth will be watering throughout this doc's mesmerizing 94-minute running time. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Erik N 12/01/2024 A very well crafted documentary about the process of traditional sake making told through the daily lives of workers at the Yoshida Brewery over the course of a year. See more 06/21/2018 Besides a slow start, this film demonstrates the manufacturing of Sake through traditional means, but also highlights the struggles of the workers involved at the plant. This film is everything Sake and more. See more 12/13/2016 12/20/16 Amazon Video Like Jiro Dreams of Sushi this terrific documentary not only shows us a great product but more importantly the hard work, devotion and pursuit of excellence it takes to make it. You see the culture of striving for perfection, group over self, personal sacrifice and the commitment to traditional ways. Given what goes into producing a bottle of their product it is amazing that it is as affordable as it is. See more 11/03/2016 your calming, well shot, well edited, feel good about something you really have no real interest in documentary of the week. See more 05/24/2016 A very well photographed insight into the workers of this traditional sake brewery. See more 10/21/2015 A really gorgeously-made documentary about the production of sake at this traditional brewery in Japan but also about the lives of the workers who live there six months a year. See more Read all reviews
The Birth of Saké

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Cast & Crew

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Erik Shirai

Director

Erik Shirai

Writer

Makoto Sasa

Producer

Masako Tsumura

Producer

Mark Karpeles

Executive Producer

Erik Shirai

Cinematographer
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The Birth of Saké

A scene from "The Birth of Saké." The Birth of Saké (2015) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During an unrelenting winter in northern Japan, a small group of workers must brave tough working conditions to brew the 2,000-year-old tradition known as sake.
Director
Erik Shirai
Producer
Makoto Sasa, Masako Tsumura
Screenwriter
Erik Shirai
Production Co
Imakoko Media
Genre
Documentary, Biography
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 17, 2017
Runtime
1h 30m
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