Turner Classic Movies Acquires 'The Ozu Diaries' Documentary (The Hollywood Reporter)
Story by Patrick Brzeski
Turner Classic Movies has picked up the exclusive North American television rights to the forthcoming documentary The Ozu Diaries, from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Daniel Raim. An intimate exploration of the life and legacy of Japanese cinematic master Yasujiro Ozu, the film will premiere on the festival circuit this year, followed by a theatrical release in 2025.
Produced with the support of the Ozu estate and Shochiku, the historic Japanese studio behind the director's greatest works, The Ozu Diaries is a cinema history documentary that portrays the iconic filmmaker through his diaries, personal letters and interviews, plus rare archival footage, movie clips and new insights from some of his closest collaborators.
The project was initiated in 2023 to mark the 120th anniversary of Ozu's birth. The movie will trace his journey from a rebellious young painter and cinephile in 1920s Japan to the globally renowned creator of classics like I Was Born, But
, Late Spring and Tokyo Story.
The film is a multi-year project for Raim who earned an Oscar nomination for his 2001 documentary short The Man on Lincoln's Nose and is known for his critically acclaimed feature docs on film history, such as Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story and Fiddler's Journey to the Big Screen. (He's also produced and directed 30 documentaries about cinema masters for the Criterion Collection and Criterion Channel).
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