アメリカで流行っている「サケボム(日本酒爆弾)」。ビールジョッキの上に二本の箸を置き、さらにその上に日本酒を入れたおちょこを置いて、全員でかけ声をかけながらテーブルを叩いておちょこをビールに落として飲むというあまり品がいいとは言えない飲み方をしている人も、このドキュメンタリー映画を見たら、今までの飲み方を恥ずかしいと思うに違いない。
そのドキュメンタリー映画とは、ディスカバリーチャンネルの人気番組『アンソニー世界を喰らう』でカメラマンを務めたエリック・シライ氏が監督した『The Birth of Sake(日本酒の誕生)』。予告編は、日本酒の製造は2000年の歴史がある高尚な芸術だと説明する。中には完成までに6カ月かかるものもあるという。
シライ監督が取材したのは、「手取川(てどりがわ)」というブランドで知られる、石川県白山市にある創業144年の有名老舗「吉田酒造店」。
酒造りを天職だと考えている従業員たちの年齢は、20歳から70歳と幅広い。家族から離れて単身住み込みで働いている者も珍しくなく、血のつながりのない男たちが同じ部屋で家族のように寝起きし、全員で食卓を囲んでいる。
そんな家族的な日常がある一方で、吉田酒造店は自分たちより若く活発で、しかし必ずしも良心的とは言えないライバル会社たちがしのぎを削る日本酒の市場で生き残りをかけて奮闘する。
そう、この映画のタイトル「日本酒の誕生」が表すように、酒造りとは、赤ん坊を立派にひとり前の大人に育てあげるようなものなのだ。

この作品は、「すきやばし次郎」の寿司職人を追った2011年のドキュメンタリー『二郎は鮨の夢を見る』に匹敵する素晴らしさだ。
すでに評論家たちから高い評価を得ており、たとえば映画情報サイト「Variety」は、この映画のことをまるですぐれた日本酒のように「なめらかに入り込んでくる」と表現する。
創業100年を超える古い酒造とは思えないほど、吉田酒造店はFacebookでこの映画に関する情報をたくさん紹介している。それをみるとこの老舗酒造の未来はまだまだ明るいと感じる。
この記事はハフポストUS版に掲載されたものを翻訳しました。
[日本語版:丸山佳伸、合原弘子/ガリレオ]
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