餅つき

Mochitsuki

A film celebrating family, tradition, and mochi.

What is
mochitsuki?

The ancient tradition of preparing Mochi to celebrate the Japanese New Year goes back centuries. Join the intergenerational community that revels in the ceremonial pounding of the cooked rice, the forming of the warm Mochi cakes, and of course eating the yummy results! Elders and kids alike reflect on what Mochi means to them, leaving not a cheek untouched by rice flour.

Watch our 20-minute sneak preview

We've decided to offer a sneak preview to spark excitement and raise vital funds for our nationwide outreach. Join us as we gear up for our national debut on PBS in May, 2025 for Asian American Pacific Islander Month.

watch sneak preview

*THE IMPORTANCE OF TRADITION*

“What we Japanese have as part of our ancient cultural tradition is a relationship to the land and a feeling of spiritual connection to the way food is brought to us and the interdependency of land and human life.”
*- Karen Nagano, Film Star*

*FAVORITE PART OF TRADITION*

“My favorite part of the Mochitsuki ceremony is the continuity between the culture of my grandparents and the culture that I live now. By having the Mochitsuki, I'm still participating in our Japanese cultural heritage in a meaningful way”

MAKING MOCHI

Mochi making brings the family together to embrace tradition.

The dough is covered with mochi flour and shaped into smaller pieces.

Rice dough is pounded with a kine to create an airy texture.

Many family members come together to make mochi.

The dough is coated in mochiko (mochi flour).

The Mochitsuki tradition is taught at a young age.

The rice dough is put into an usu (mortar) for pounding.

Mochitsuki has screened at dozens of film festivals and will delight and inspire millions of viewers nationwide when it comes to PBS as part of Asian Pacific Islander American Month in May 2025.
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MEET THE TEAM

SKY BERGMAN, FILMMAKER

Sky Bergman is an accomplished, award-winning photographer. Lives Well Lived was Sky’s directorial debut.

After a 30-year teaching career, Sky Bergman is working on her third act. She is a Professor Emeritus of Photography and Video and a former chair of the Art & Design Department at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California.

Her fine artwork is included in permanent collections of prestigious museums, while her commercial work has graced the pages of eminent magazines such as the Smithsonian.

Sky’s new passion: creating films and projects that inspire and cultivate intergenerational connections. Her work emphasizes the importance of shared stories in fostering empathy and connecting an age-segregated world, highlighting her passion for bridging generational divides through the power of visual storytelling.

Sky was inspired to make the Mochitsuki film after her interview with Lives Well Lived film star, Susy Eto Bauman. Susy spoke about the tradition of the Mochitsuki ceremony. Shortly thereafter, Sky was filming the Eto family Mochitsuki ceremony.

FORREST MORI, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Growing up in Santa Barbara, Forrest began his love of photography by shooting film with a Kodak Instamatic. He landed his first regular gig with his father’s Nikon in tow documenting student life for the Santa Barbara High School yearbook. Never without his eye on a viewfinder, he worked at a camera store to earn an employee discount to purchase a Nikon of his own.

Forrest has captured everything from life events like weddings and celebrations for family and friends, to pro bono work for nonprofits. One of his earliest filmmaking projects supported local community members in fundraising for clean water in the DR Congo, raising over 1 million dollars. As a Director of Photography, Forrest continues to depict the essence of human connections and experiences.

KAORI FUNAHASHI PETERS, Second Shooter

Kaori Funahashi Peters is a California Central Coast-based commercial photographer specializing in endurance sports and multi-day adventure racing events, often in harsh environments all over the globe.

FRANCESCA LEE, Editor

Francesca Lee is an NYC elopement and portrait photographer. She co-creates images of confidence and ease so you can relive your Vogue moment again and again.