Diamond Diplomacy | A Conversation with Yuriko Gamo Romer & Masanori “Mashi” Murakami

Director Yuriko Gamo Romer and baseball legend Masanori “Mashi” Murakami, the first Japanese player in Major League Baseball, join Austin Belzer to discuss Diamond Diplomacy, a documentary exploring how baseball became a bridge between Japan and the United States.Together, they talk about the sport’s cultural impact, the challenges of documenting over 150 years of history, and how Mashi’s legacy continues to inspire players around the world.Subscribe to The Austin B Media Podcast for more filmmaker conversations.Learn more and find screenings at diamonddiplomacy.com.Read the full transcript here.Support Austin B MediaIf you enjoyed this podcast, consider joining my Patreon.Members get:Early access to reviews and podcasts ($10 members get unedited episodes)Exclusive monthly Film Club, where we watch a movie and discuss it together on ZoomCommunity polls to help choose what I cover nextBehind-the-scenes research notes⁠⁠⁠⁠Join here and help shape the future of Austin B Media!Chapters00:00 - Introduction and Welcome00:26 – Hot Springs and Babe Ruth’s longest home run02:05 – What inspired Yuriko to make Diamond Diplomacy03:33 – Mashi’s minor-league days and first impressions of America06:10 – From Fresno to the Giants: Moving to the majors08:40 – Balancing archival footage and modern storytelling11:00 – Working without AI and preserving history13:00 – Friendship and collaboration through the film15:00 – Legacy and baseball as diplomacy19:30 – Closing remarks and festival screeningsWhere to Follow Me⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠Until next time!