I find it amazing that a documentary has managed to enter the world the famed Japanese crime gangs, the Yakuza. Young Yakuza has been bought by Cinema Epoch for distribution after it screened in Cannes.

Young Yakuza is directed by Jean-Pierre Limosin who had to gain a large amount of trust with the gang boss on the film, after all, the Yakuza are a gang who deal in illegal activities. The agreement saw that he would not film the actual illegal acts, but that he would follow one new recruit to the gang and his immediate boss.

The documentary follows Naoki, a new recruit of the Kumagai crime organization, and his boss over an eighteen month period. Those months must have been filled with amazing sights for Jean-Pierre Limosin, as well as some very troubling moments. He's either an amazing guy or a damn silly one to have put himself in such a dangerous place for the sake of the film, let's hope it works out for him.

According to Variety The Sundance Channel has bought the television rights while Cinema Epoch is looking to release the film in January.

It sounds a fascinating film, looking into one of the oldest crime gangs in the world, and delving deep into its secret and traditional way of life. There's something about this area that makes for fascinating viewing, and it reminds me of the Hijos de la Guerra (Children of the War) documentary, another film that looks deep into one of the most feared gangs in the world.