J-Film | Diamond Diplomacy

Presented by the Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan and The Japan Commerce Association of Washington D.C.

Just before the World Baseball Classic in March, the JICC is happy to host the Mid-Atlantic Premiere of Diamond Diplomacy, a compelling new documentary that captures the exciting history of baseball as a shared national pastime between Japan and the U.S.

After the screening we will be joined by director Yuriko Gamo Romer for a discussion and Q&A about the film.

While many know that baseball is Japan’s national pastime, few realize just how profound a role the sport has played in the relationship between Japan and the U.S. This film explores the incredible 150-year history of baseball diplomacy between the two nations—from its introduction by an American professor in the 1870s to the legendary goodwill tours of Babe Ruth and the modern-day impact of stars like Shohei Ohtani.

Join us for this special screening and Q&A and see how baseball has become not just a game but a force for cultural exchange and mutual respect.

About the Director:
Award-winning director Yuriko Gamo Romer’s recent films explore the cultural and political dimensions of sport. Her short Baseball Behind Barbed Wire, about WWII Japanese American incarceration, won Best Short Documentary at the Chandler International Film Festival and Waco Film Festival.

Mrs. Judo about Keiko Fukuda, first woman tenth-degree black belt in judo, screened at 25+ festivals and broadcast nationally on PBS.

Romer’s thesis film Occidental Encounters won the Student Academy Award (Gold) and the Jimmy Stewart Memorial Award, Heartland Film Festival.

Born in Japan and raised in the U.S., Romer is bilingual/bicultural and holds a Master’s degree, Documentary Filmmaking, Stanford University.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required for security purposes. Program begins at 6:30PM. Doors open 30 minutes prior. No admittance after 7:00 PM or once seating is full. Registered guests will be seated on a first come, first served basis. Please note that seating is limited and registration does not guarantee guests a seat.

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Host or Publisher Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan