“I want to see how the clockwork of Japanese society works.” โ Ema Ryan Yamazaki
From the disciplined classrooms of Tokyo to the high-stakes dirt of the baseball diamond, filmmaker Ema Ryan Yamazaki is a leading architect of modern Japanese documentary. A rare “dual-threat” talent, Yamazaki achieved the historic feat of being represented in two major categories at the Academy Awards: as the director of the Oscar-nominated Instruments of a Beating Heart and as the producer and editor of the globally acclaimed Black Box Diaries.
Her masterful editing of Shiori Ito’s harrowing #MeToo investigation proved her unique ability to weave raw, complex truths into gripping, cinematic narratives. With the precision of an outsider and the heart of an insider, Yamazaki’s films offer an unflinching look at how a nation builds its citizens and its heroes.
Synopsis
1. Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams โ Directed by Ema Ryan Yamazaki
For over a century, the Koshien high school baseball tournament has been the heartbeat of Japanโa ritual of sacrifice, extreme discipline, and “the only summer.” Some even refer to it as the ‘Japanese MLB’. With unprecedented access, Yamazaki captures the brutal beauty of a system where a single loss ends a dream forever. More than a sports film, Koshien is a visceral portrait of the Japanese heart.
2. The Making of a Japanese โ Directed by Ema Ryan Yamazaki
What does it take to become a member of Japanese society? Building on the foundations of her Oscar-nominated short film, Yamazaki returns to a Tokyo public primary school to document a year of “becoming.” In a world where six-year-olds are tasked with cleaning floors, serving meals, and collective problem-solving, the film reveals the factory settings of a nation built on order.
Screening Schedule
Special Screening & in-person Q&A with Dir. Ema Ryan Yamazaki Moderated by Leslie Xiong, BACCS Cinema
- Venue: Palo Alto Art Center Auditorium
- Address: 1313 Newell Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303
Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams
- Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 | 7:15 PM โ 9:45 PM
- Tickets: zeffy.com
The Making of a Japanese
- Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026 | 7:15 PM โ 9:45 PM
- Tickets: zeffy.com