Jiro Dreams of Sushi (film screening)

Jiro Dreams of Sushi
二郎は鮨の夢を見る

Tuesday, July 23, 6:00PM (ET)

Doors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall | Free Admission

Directed by David Gelb • 2011 • Documentary • 82 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the story of 85 year-old ONO Jiro, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious 3 star Michelin review, and sushi lovers from around the globe make repeated pilgrimage, calling months in advance and shelling out top dollar for a coveted seat at Jiro’s sushi bar.

For most of his life, Jiro has been mastering the art of making sushi, but even at his age he sees himself still striving for perfection, working from sunrise to well beyond sunset to taste every piece of fish; meticulously train his employees; and carefully mold and finesse the impeccable presentation of each sushi creation. At the heart of this story is Jiro’s relationship with his eldest son Yoshikazu, the worthy heir to Jiro’s legacy, who is unable to live up to his full potential in his father’s shadow.

The feature film debut of director David Gelb, Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a thoughtful and elegant meditation on work, family, and the art of perfection, chronicling Jiro’s life as both an unparalleled success in the culinary world, and a loving yet complicated father.

This is the final screening in our food film series, Cinema Umami.

Director Profile:

Originally from New York City, David Gelb currently works and lives in Los Angeles. After graduating from USC’s film production program, David worked on various music videos, short films, and documentaries. Most notably, he directed A Vision of Blindness, an extensive behind the scenes look at Fernando Meirelles’s film Blindness, which enjoyed a run on the Sundance Channel. David has been a sushi aficionado since his childhood. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is his first full-length feature film.

Since the success of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, David continued his journey of capturing culinary artistry and helmed the acclaimed Netflix series Chef’s Table, Street Food, and Disney+ documentary Wolfgang.