餅
THE MOCHI MOVIE
A story of community and resilience.
About the Film
THE MOCHI MOVIE explores Mochi-tsuki, the centuries-old Japanese tradition of pounding rice to make mochi for the New Year.
Through the lens of Mochi-tsuki, the film explores Japanese American history, including World War II incarceration. Featuring voices across generations, with appearances by actor and activist George Takei, Dr. Kristin Hayashi of the Japanese American National Museum, and the work of renowned photographer Toyo Miyatake, THE MOCHI MOVIE captures the people, places, and stories that keep this cultural practice alive.
Together, these voices reveal how one New Year’s tradition continues to carry history, identity, and connection from one generation to the next.
Partner With Us
We are approaching the film and its impact with the goal of fostering dialogue, connection, and meaningful community engagement.
Our outreach includes:
• A national PBS broadcast with sponsorship and underwriting opportunities for aligned organizations
• Community and educational screenings with cultural institutions, educators, and community partners
• Educational and digital resources designed to support ongoing engagement and discussion
We welcome conversations with organizations, foundations, and companies interested in supporting the film’s outreach including our PBS broadcast and broader impact campaign.
Reach out to our Impact & Partnerships Producer, Nick Kelso
nick@skybergmanproductions.com
Glenn Tanaka from Tanaka farms and Japan Consul General (of LA) Kenko Sone.
Photographer, Toyo Miyatake.
©Toyo Miyatake
George Takei with filmmaker, Sky Bergman.
“Making mochi was one of the few bright spots of my childhood, even behind barbed wire. When everything else had been taken away, it reminded us that we were still a community.”
Why This Film Matters
THE MOCHI MOVIE is about more than mochi. It is about the way food, family, and tradition carry memory across generations, connecting us to our ancestors, our identities, and one another.
Through the story of Mochi-tsuki, the film honors Japanese American resilience and the painful history of World War II incarceration, while celebrating the rituals that helped families hold on to dignity, community, and hope.
While rooted in Japanese American history and tradition, THE MOCHI MOVIE also speaks to something more universal. If you have ever gathered in a kitchen to make tamales, folded pierogies with a grandmother, baked baklava for the holidays, or prepared a special meal that links you to your roots, it is a reminder of how deeply food can connect us to family, culture, and belonging.
At a time when the world can feel increasingly fragmented across generations, cultures, and lived experiences, this film offers a powerful reminder that shared rituals can bridge divides. It is a celebration of how food becomes memory, how memory becomes tradition, and how tradition becomes legacy.
Mochi-tsuki ceremony in Manzanar War Relocation Camp, 1942. ©Toyo Miyatake
Mochi-tsuki ceremony in Irvine, CA, current day.
MEET THE DIRECTOR
After a 30-year teaching career, Sky Bergman is embracing her “third act” as a filmmaker. She is a Professor Emeritus of Photography and Video and the former chair of the Art & Design Department at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. Her directorial debut, the PBS documentary Lives Well Lived, celebrates the stories of older adults who are living life with meaning and purpose. Today, Sky focuses on creating films that honor intergenerational connections and cultural traditions.
She was inspired to make THE MOCHI MOVIE after interviewing Susy Eto Bauman, a star of Lives Well Lived, and witnessing the Eto family’s Mochi-tsuki ceremony. As an aunt to Japanese American nephews, the tradition holds personal meaning and deepens her connection to the story.
Susy Eto Bauman with filmmaker, Sky Bergman
Bring this PBS film to your community.
Contact the filmmakers for screenings, speaking events, and partnership opportunities.