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Contacts: POV Communications: 212-989-7425, [email protected] Cathy Fisher, [email protected] ; Brian Geldin, [email protected] POV Pressroom: www.pbs.org/pov/pressroom The Secrets of Saké: Tradition, Intuition and an Artist’s Guiding Hand POV’s ‘The Birth of Saké’ Follows Meticulous Method of Bringing the Fabled Japanese Drink To Life; Film Premieres Monday, Sept. 5, 2016 on PBS A Co-presentation with the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) “A richly immersive documentary . . . achieves a remarkable level of intimacy without ever sacrificing its reserve or restraint.”—Justin Chang, Variety There’s a lot more to saké—the legendary Japanese rice wine—than most drinkers realize. The best bottles embody a 2,000-year tradition that is painstaking, precise, incredibly labor-intensive and increasingly rare. Its creation is a cross between producing great art and raising “an unruly child.” Japanese-American filmmaker Erik Shirai goes inside the Yoshida Brewery, a 144-year-old family-owned company in northern Japan, to capture the traditional saké-making process in The Birth of Saké, which earned him a Special Jury Mention for Best New Documentary Director at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. The film has its national broadcast premiere on the POV (Point of View) documentary series on PBS on Monday, Sept. 5, 2016 at 10 p.m. (Check local listings.) Now in its 29th season, POV is American television’s longest-running independent documentary series and the recipient of a 2013 MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. The mystical nature of the libation is captured in the film’s opening statement: “Saké making is a living thing. If you compare it to human beings it would be like raising a child.” And not just any child. The employees who bring Yoshida’s traditional saké to life pamper it from inception. Nothing is left to chance. There are no shortcuts. All told, Yoshida’s employees spend about half a year in nearly monastic seclusion creating their world-renowned product. While saké is often experienced as a warmed drink in the West, its northern Japanese birthplace is cold and forlorn. Shirai’s cinematic opening shots of snow and icy surf, accompanied by sparse traditional music, introduce a film that, like its subject, is unrushed, deeply reflective and rich with interesting symmetries. Inside the brewery, for example, great clouds of welcoming steam rise above the white rice used to make the saké—mirroring the snow and ice just beyond the windows. As the rice cools it is treated with a special mold, koji-kin, which begins the two-stage fermentation process. Yoshida does not use the automated methods employed by many of its competitors. Like a fine musical instrument, its product is handmade. Making saké the traditional way, says 68-year-old brewmaster Teruyuki Yamamoto, requires knowledge and intuition. These qualities are passed from generation to generation—in the Yoshida company’s case from Yamamoto to Yasuyuki Yoshida, the company’s 27-year-old sixth-generation heir. Shirai notes that

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Page 1: The Secrets of Saké: Tradition, Intuition and an Artist’s ...pov-tc.pbs.org/.../pov-thebirthofsake-press-release...Shirai and Tsumura captured not only the subtle art of making

Contacts:POVCommunications:212-989-7425,[email protected],[email protected];BrianGeldin,[email protected]:www.pbs.org/pov/pressroom

TheSecretsofSaké:Tradition,IntuitionandanArtist’sGuidingHand

POV’s‘TheBirthofSaké’FollowsMeticulousMethodofBringingtheFabledJapaneseDrinkToLife;FilmPremieresMonday,Sept.5,2016onPBS

ACo-presentationwiththeCenterforAsianAmericanMedia(CAAM)

“Arichlyimmersivedocumentary...achievesaremarkablelevelofintimacywithouteversacrificingits

reserveorrestraint.”—JustinChang,VarietyThere’salotmoretosaké—thelegendaryJapanesericewine—thanmostdrinkersrealize.Thebestbottlesembodya2,000-yeartraditionthatispainstaking,precise,incrediblylabor-intensiveandincreasinglyrare.Itscreationisacrossbetweenproducinggreatartandraising“anunrulychild.”Japanese-AmericanfilmmakerErikShiraigoesinsidetheYoshidaBrewery,a144-year-oldfamily-ownedcompanyinnorthernJapan,tocapturethetraditionalsaké-makingprocessinTheBirthofSaké,whichearnedhimaSpecialJuryMentionforBestNewDocumentaryDirectoratthe2015TribecaFilmFestival.ThefilmhasitsnationalbroadcastpremiereonthePOV(PointofView)documentaryseriesonPBSonMonday,Sept.5,2016at10p.m.(Checklocallistings.)Nowinits29thseason,POVisAmericantelevision’slongest-runningindependentdocumentaryseriesandtherecipientofa2013MacArthurFoundationAwardforCreativeandEffectiveInstitutions.Themysticalnatureofthelibationiscapturedinthefilm’sopeningstatement:“Sakémakingisalivingthing.Ifyoucompareittohumanbeingsitwouldbelikeraisingachild.”Andnotjustanychild.TheemployeeswhobringYoshida’straditionalsakétolifepamperitfrominception.Nothingislefttochance.Therearenoshortcuts.Alltold,Yoshida’semployeesspendabouthalfayearinnearlymonasticseclusioncreatingtheirworld-renownedproduct.WhilesakéisoftenexperiencedasawarmeddrinkintheWest,itsnorthernJapanesebirthplaceiscoldandforlorn.Shirai’scinematicopeningshotsofsnowandicysurf,accompaniedbysparsetraditionalmusic,introduceafilmthat,likeitssubject,isunrushed,deeplyreflectiveandrichwithinterestingsymmetries.Insidethebrewery,forexample,greatcloudsofwelcomingsteamriseabovethewhitericeusedtomakethesaké—mirroringthesnowandicejustbeyondthewindows.Asthericecoolsitistreatedwithaspecialmold,koji-kin,whichbeginsthetwo-stagefermentationprocess.Yoshidadoesnotusetheautomatedmethodsemployedbymanyofitscompetitors.Likeafinemusicalinstrument,itsproductishandmade.Makingsakéthetraditionalway,says68-year-oldbrewmasterTeruyukiYamamoto,requiresknowledgeandintuition.Thesequalitiesarepassedfromgenerationtogeneration—intheYoshidacompany’scasefromYamamototoYasuyukiYoshida,thecompany’s27-year-oldsixth-generationheir.Shirainotesthat

Page 2: The Secrets of Saké: Tradition, Intuition and an Artist’s ...pov-tc.pbs.org/.../pov-thebirthofsake-press-release...Shirai and Tsumura captured not only the subtle art of making

whileitisexpectedthattheeldestsonwilltakeoverthefamilybrewery,itisrareforanheirtobecomeanactualbrewmaster:“Yasuyukiisunusualbecausehewantstodoit.”Thefilm,twoyearsinthemaking,isthefirstin-depthexaminationoftheYoshidaoperationandararelookattheintenseandrelativelyunknown(evenwithinJapan)processoftraditionalsakémaking.Gainingaccesswasnotimmediateoreasy.Afteralongandexhaustivepermissionsprocess,thecompany’sownersallowedShiraiandproducerMasakoTsumuratoliveatthebrewery.Wakingdailyat4:00a.m.,theywerefullyimmersedandembeddedwiththeworkersandatebreakfast,lunchanddinnerwiththem.ShiraiandTsumuracapturednotonlythesubtleartofmakingsaké,butthesacrificesmadebyYoshida’semployees.Beingseparatedfromlovedonesisthehardestaspectoftheprocess,thoughtherearetimesoflevity,includingtimespentwatchingsumowrestling.“Theyreallyaren’thuman!”anemployeelaughsasheandcolleaguesenjoyatelevisedmatch.Therearealsogroupsing-alongsandtalkofgirlfriendsleftbehind.Butthisisseriousandexactingwork.Theslightestvariationintheprocess,evenaminortemperatureshift,cannegativelyalterthefinalproduct.Thecompanyisalsounderexternalpressurefromadwindlingsakémarket.ConsumptionisdowninJapanandworldwide,accordingtothefilm,whilebeer,whiskeyandothertypesofalcoholicdrinkshavemadesignificantinroads.Thischangeisreflectedinonecrucialstatistic:Intheearly20thcenturytherewere4,600sakébreweriesinJapan.Nowtherearearound1,000.YasuyukiYoshida,theyoungbrewmaster,comesacrossasahappywarrior.Afterspendingsixmonthsmakingsaké,hespendstheotherhalf-yeartravelingtheworldtopromotethefruitsofhiscompany’slabor.Hefindsadividedmarketplace.Youngerdrinkersoftenprefernewertypesofsaké,whiletraditionaldrinkerscomplainthatnewversionsare“weakandindistinct.”ThelatterarehighlypleasedwhenYoshidapresentsthemwithdaiginyo,hisbrewery’stop-of-thelinetraditionalsaké.Shiraisayshewantshisfilmtocreate“notthedesiretodrinksakéasmuchasanappreciationofthepeoplewhomakeit.Wearetalkingaboutadyingartthatshouldbekeptalive.”Hecontinues:“Weconsiderourselvesveryfortunatetohavebeenwell-placedtoexploreandsharethisancienthandmadetechnique,sorarelyusednowinourmechanizedworld.WehopethatTheBirthofSakéwillelicitsolemnandprofoundintrospectionaboutourplaceinthehistoryofmakingandconsuming,andaboutourrelationshipswithourownworkandwiththosewithwhomwework.”AbouttheFilmmaker:ErikShirai,DirectorErikShiraiisaNewYorkCityfilmmakerworkingaroundtheworldonrenowneddocumentariesandtelevisionshows.HewasacinematographerfortheEmmy®award-winningTravelChannelseriesNoReservationswithAnthonyBourdainandrecentlycompletedEyeWhatYouEat,anewwebseriesfortheScrippsNetworks.Shirai’sfoodfilmswerealsofeaturedataTEDconferenceinNewYorkin2012.In2008,Shirailaunchedhisownproductioncompany,CebuOsaniCreative,asafoundationforhiscreativeidealsandtocreatefilmsthatarecompelling,originalandvisuallycinematic.Shirai’smaingoalistoproduceone-of-a-kindcontentwithintegrityandrespect.Credits:Director,Cinematographer: ErikShiraiProducer: MasakoTsumuraExecutiveProducer: MarkKarpeles

Page 3: The Secrets of Saké: Tradition, Intuition and an Artist’s ...pov-tc.pbs.org/.../pov-thebirthofsake-press-release...Shirai and Tsumura captured not only the subtle art of making

Editors: TakeshiFukunaga,FrederickShanahanMusicComposer: KenKaizuRunningTime: 86:46POVSeriesCredits:ExecutiveProducers: JustineNagan,ChrisWhiteVicePresident,ContentStrategy: ElizaLichtAssociateProducer: NicoleTsienCoordinatingProducer: NikkiHeyman

####

ProducedbyAmericanDocumentary,Inc.,POVispublictelevision’spremiershowcasefornonfictionfilms.Since1988,POVhasbeenthehomefortheworld’sboldestcontemporaryfilmmakers,celebratingintriguingpersonalstoriesthatsparkconversationandinspireaction.Alwaysaninnovator,

POVdiscoversfreshnewvoicesandcreatesinteractiveexperiencesthatshinealightonsocialissuesandelevatetheartofstorytelling.Withourdocumentarybroadcasts,originalonlineprogramminganddynamiccommunityengagementcampaigns,wearecommittedtosupportingfilmsthatcapturetheimaginationandpresentdiverseperspectives.POVfilmshavewon34Emmy®Awards,18GeorgeFosterPeabodyAwards,12AlfredI.duPont-ColumbiaUniversityAwards,threeAcademyAwards®,thefirst-everGeorgePolkDocumentaryFilmAwardandthePrixItalia.ThePOVserieshasbeenhonoredwithaSpecialNews&DocumentaryEmmyAwardforExcellenceinTelevisionDocumentaryFilmmaking,threeIDAAwardsforBestCuratedSeriesandtheNationalAssociationofLatinoIndependentProducers(NALIP)AwardforCorporateCommitmenttoDiversity.Learnmoreatwww.pbs.org/pov/.POVCommunityEngagementandEducation(www.pbs.org/pov/engage/)POV’sCommunityEngagementandEducationteamworkswitheducators,communityorganizationsandPBSstationstopresentmorethan650freescreeningseveryyear.Inaddition,wedistributefreediscussionguidesandstandards-alignedlessonplansforeachofourfilms.Withourcommunitypartners,weinspiredialoguearoundthemostimportantsocialissuesofourtime.POVDigital(www.pbs.org/pov/)Since1994,POVDigitalhasdrivennewstorytellinginitiativesandinteractiveproductionforPOV.ThedepartmentcreatedPBS’sfirstprogramwebsiteanditsfirstweb-baseddocumentary(POV’sBorders)andhaswonmajorawards,includingaWebbyAward(andsixnominations)andanOnlineNewsAssociationAward.POVDigitalcontinuestoexplorethefutureofindependentnonfictionmediathroughitsdigitalproductionsandthePOVHackathonlab,wheremediamakersandtechnologistscollaboratetoreinventstorytellingforms.@povdocsonTwitter.AmericanDocumentary,Inc.(www.amdoc.org)AmericanDocumentary,Inc.(AmDoc)isamultimediacompanydedicatedtocreating,identifyingandpresentingcontemporarystoriesthatexpressopinionsandperspectivesrarelyfeaturedinmainstreammediaoutlets.AmDocisacatalystforpublicculture,developingcollaborativestrategicengagementactivitiesaroundsociallyrelevantcontentontelevision,onlineandincommunitysettings.Theseactivitiesaredesignedtotriggeraction,fromdialogueandfeedbacktoeducationalopportunitiesandcommunityparticipation.MajorfundingforPOVisprovidedbyPBS,TheJohnD.andCatherineT.MacArthurFoundation,theJohnS.andJamesL.KnightFoundation,CorporationforPublicBroadcastingandNationalEndowmentfortheArts.AdditionalfundingcomesfromNancyBlachmanandDaviddesJardins,BerthaFoundation,WyncoteFoundation,TheFledglingFund,MargueriteCaseyFoundation,EttingerFoundation,NewYorkStateCouncilontheArts,AnnTenenbaumandThomasH.Lee,andpublictelevisionviewers.POVispresentedbyaconsortiumofpublictelevisionstations,includingKQEDSanFrancisco,WGBHBostonandTHIRTEENinassociationwithWNET.ORG.

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