“Diamond Diplomacy,” a feature documentary by Yuriko Gamo Romer, will have its Southern California premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival on Oct. 17, 18 and 21.

Using historical materials and contemporary footage, and inter-views, “Diamond Diplomacy” frames the 150+-year history of U.S.-Japan relations through the personal stories of Masanori “Mashi” Murakami, the first Japanese to play for Major League Baseball, and Warren Cromartie, an African American outfielder who left MLB in his prime to play for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants.

Scholars create context and perspective, linking the protagonists’ personal stories to the historical moments that shaped them.

“Rarely do sports documentaries feel this fresh. A must-see for baseball fans, blending history with cultural contrasts between U.

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