Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams (Doc Feature)

In Japan, baseball is more than a sport. It’s a discipline, an educational tool, and a symbol of its changing culture. In Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams, director Ema Ryan Yamazaki explores these ideas while following two coaches participating in the 100th annual high school baseball tournament — think March Madness, the Super Bowl, and Friday Night Lights in one. Through cinema vérité and on the fly interviews, Michael captures not only the two managers contrasting styles, but the emotional journey of several players. During his five month embed, Michael brought a fresh eye and ten years of playing baseball to Ema’s deep cultural and linguistic knowledge of both Japan and the West. It is available to stream on Netflix now.