For 15 years, the Gran Turismo series has been at the forefront of racing games, and the driving force behind those games is Kazunori Yamauchi. A recent documentary titled Kaz: Pushing the Virtual Divide focuses on Yamauchi and his fascination with the auto and gaming worlds, and that documentary is now free to watch on YouTube.
Directed by documentary filmmaker Tamir Moscovici (Urban Outlaw, Painting Coconuts), the film delves into the life of Yamauchi, who first became fascinated by cars at the age of three. When he was 15, he conceived the idea for the first Gran Turismo game.
The 46-year old Yamauchi currently holds the office of CEO of Polyphony Digital and producer of the Gran Turismo series. In 2009, he joined the World Car Awards team, and officially became a professional race car driver as well.
“What really inspired me while making this documentary about Kazunori and Gran Turismo was the element of loyalty and family that was evident from the start,” Moscovici said. “This same feeling of being part of something exciting is extended to the fans and it’s why there is such a devoted following for something that many would perceive as simply a video game. Shooting footage of rare cars and following the team across the world as they created the game was exciting, but our big picture was to shed the exterior, to be able to capture how this movement has changed the lives of millions.”
Kaz debuted on Hulu on January 22; it then appeared on Sony Movie Channel, Sony Entertainment Network, Amazon Instant Video, and Crackle. It can now be viewed in its entirety for free on YouTube.
