"Tears of the Grapes" – A Journey Through Hokkaido’s Four Seasons from the Wine Homeland of Sorachi

Grapevines endure the cold winter, welcome the warm spring, absorb the melted snow water, and then droplets fall from the tips of the branches. In life, one inevitably sheds tears of sorrow; but surely those are the dewdrops before the arrival of happiness. Let the mellow wine and the warm tears nourish the hearts of the audience.

The film stars popular Hokkaido-born actor and entertainer Ōizumi Yo, award-winning singer-songwriter Andō Yuko making her official acting debut, and rising star Sometani Shota, known for his roles in multiple hit films. The cast also includes a lineup of charismatic actors such as Taguchi Tomorowo, Maeno Tomoya, Riri, Kitarō, Ōsugi Ren, Kyōko Enami... The meticulously brewed wine from Hokkaido’s soil and the vibrant local cuisine also take center stage in the film.

From the same production team behind the independently released and box-office-hit Japanese and Taiwanese film [Koufuku no Pan (Bread of Happiness)], director Mitsushima Yukiko serves as both the writer and director of this film. She not only penned an original and compelling script but also led the entire production in on-location shooting across Hokkaido, capturing the beauty of the four seasons and crafting a truly unique world of happiness.

From the same production team behind the independently released and box-office-hit Japanese and Taiwanese film [Koufuku no Pan (Bread of Happiness)], director Mitsushima Yukiko serves as both the writer and director of this film. She not only penned an original and compelling script but also led the entire production in on-location shooting across Hokkaido, capturing the beauty of the four seasons and crafting a truly unique world of happiness. Born in Osaka, she was given this name because her father admired Yukio Mishima. She started going to the cinema at the age of four, discovered her passion for drama in high school, and during university worked as an elevator girl to save money for making her own 8mm short film [Yume wo Tsukureba (Let’s Make a Dream)]. After graduation, she joined NHK. Her directorial works mostly focus on documentaries centered around street life and human stories, often inspired by unexpected events in daily life, portraying ordinary people and “the sudden upheavals, emotional pain, and healing they experience along life’s journey.”