Review | Kampai! Sake Sisters film review: Japanese documentary on three women making it in a men’s world

2/5 stars

Mirai Konishi, director of Kampai! For the Love of Sake , continues his deep dive into the Japanese drink’s evolving world with a look at three women who have staked their claim within this traditionally male-centric industry.

Kampai! Sake Sisters balances the personal histories of Miho Imada, Marie Chiba and Rebekah Wilson-Lye while documenting their advancement within the sake business and providing a well-rounded portrait of all three. The film’s touted gender angle, however, ultimately proves moot.

Konishi shies away from worthwhile exploration into sake’s long-standing lack of female representation. The film does mention that, for centuries, women were barred even from entering breweries, let alone taking part in the physical, hands-on process of the drink’s creation, but this nugget of trivia is left to percolate, without further examination.

Similarly, the film shows that these three women encountered close to no resistance when establishing themselves in the industry. Their presence garners little more than a shrug from any male interviewee, none of whom are questioned directly about the issue.

Instead, Kampai! Sake Sisters follows the stories of the three individuals from very different backgrounds as they make legitimate strides into different areas of the industry.