ABOUT THE PROJECT
LOGLINE
Unveiling Yasujiro Ozu’s legacy through his personal diaries, letters, and interviews, the documentary delves into his life, creative process, and lasting impact on filmmaking.
SYNOPSIS
For cinephiles and newcomers alike, THE OZU DIARIES offers an intimate window into the world of Yasujiro Ozu, the Japanese master whose family dramas have moved audiences for generations. Through a rich collection of rare materials from the Ozu family and Shochiku Studio Archive — including personal diaries, letters, drawings, and photographs — Academy Award-nominee Daniel Raim traces Ozu's journey from a rebellious young cinephile in Tokyo's rapidly modernizing 1920s to the cinematic poet behind masterworks like "Tokyo Story" and "An Autumn Afternoon."
Ozu's artistic journey is interrupted when the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II break out. During his service in China, Ozu carries a Leica camera, documenting both the horror and humanity he encounters. The loss of his close friend and fellow director Sadao Yamanaka to the war profoundly shapes his artistic vision, leading to powerful post-war works that speak to both personal and national recovery.
The documentary reveals how Ozu's return to filmmaking after the war produces some of cinema's most moving explorations of family life and generational change.
Featuring reflections from Ozu's closest friends and collaborators, including actress Kyoko Kagawa ("Tokyo Story"), as well as contemporary filmmakers Wim Wenders, Luc Dardenne, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Tsai Ming-liang, THE OZU DIARIES illuminates how this master filmmaker distilled the quiet poetry of everyday life — capturing moments of humor, heartbreak, and beauty — while navigating the shifting tensions between tradition and modernity that shaped Japan and his art.
PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature
DIRECTOR Daniel Raim
WEBSITE danielraim.com/the-ozu-diaries
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