What is Black Box Diaries about? All to know about the Oscar-nominated documentary film

Black Box Diaries is produced and directed by Japanese journalist and filmmaker Shiori Itō. This documentary film has been making waves since its premiere at Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2024. With a wider theatrical release in the US and UK on October 25, 2024, the film has gained additional recognition.

This 103-minute documentary has also become a strong contender in the awards season, receiving nominations for at least 14 award ceremonies, including the recently announced 97th Academy Awards.

Disclaimer: This article contains sensitive information that might be disturbing for some. Please read with caution.

Black Box Diaries is based on investigative journalism and explores a high-profile se*ual assault case in Japan that played a significant role in igniting the #MeToo movement in the East Asian country. What makes this documentary particularly powerful is that it is written by the victim herself, Shiori Itō, who shares her personal experiences with the incident and the subsequent legal case.

Critics have praised Black Box Diaries for various aspects, including its unique storytelling approach and direction. On popular review platforms such as Rotten Tomatoes, it has been described as "emotionally engaging," "intellectually satisfying," "vital and remarkable," and "courageous and triumphant."

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Everything to know about Black Box Diaries

Black Box Diaries is an investigative journalism documentary that delves into the struggles faced by Shiori Itō after her encounter with a high-profile individual, Noriyuki Yamaguchi. At the time, Yamaguchi served as the Washington D.C. bureau chief for the Tokyo Broadcasting System and was a personal biographer for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as reported by CNN.

According to Paramount Act website, the film chronicles Itō's experience of being r*ped by Yamaguchi in a hotel room in 2015 and her subsequent attempts to seek justice. CNN further reported that after reaching out to the police in 2016 and receiving little response, Itō ultimately filed a lawsuit against Yamaguchi in 2017. This resulted in a monetary settlement in 2019.

Through detailed accounts and evidence, the documentary reveals the complexities of the case and the inaction of lawmakers, which can be largely attributed to Yamaguchi's prominent social status.

At the heart of it, Black Box Diaries tells the story of a woman who has taken matters into her own hands. It illustrates that if justice cannot be served by those in power, it must be pursued by exposing their shortcomings. The official synopsis for the film reads:

"Japanese journalist Shiori Itō’s real-time investigation of her public accusations of r*pe and se*ual assault by a prominent media executive. Video diaries, audio recordings of police negligence and courtroom footage document her quest for justice."

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In which category has Black Box Diaries been nominated at the Oscars 2025?

Black Box Diaries has been nominated in the Best Documentary Feature Film category at the Oscars 2025. If the film manages to win the award during the main ceremony on March 3, 2025, then the trophy will be presented to Shiori Itō, Eric Nyari, and Hanna Aqvilin, who produced the film.

The film will be competing for the top spot against other films such as No Other Land (Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham), and Porcelain War (Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev, Aniela Sidorska and Paula DuPre' Pesmen). The other nominees in this category include Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat (Johan Grimonprez, Daan Milius and Rémi Grellety), and Sugarcane (Nominees to be determined).

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Black Box Diaries is available for viewing on YouTube, Paramount Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, fubo TV, Sling TV, The Roku Channel, and YouTube TV in select regions.