Journalists crammed into Tokyo¡¯s Foreign Correspondents¡¯ Club on Monday to hear Shiori Ito speak following the long-delayed domestic release of ¡°Black Box Diaries,¡± her 2024 documentary chronicling her experience as a survivor of sexual assault.

While the documentary has been screened worldwide and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at this year¡¯s Academy Awards ¡ª making Ito the first Japanese feature-length filmmaker nominated in the category ¡ª its release in Japan had been put on hold.

¡°(Friday¡¯s) screening was the most reactive screening we have ever had. We have screened ¡¯Black Box Diaries¡¯ in over 60 countries, but following the first domestic screening, I have never received so many letters and messages before,¡± Ito told reporters.