The streaming platform Documentary+ has acquired global rights to the documentary 'Still Single,' focusing on Toronto sushi chef Masaki Saito. The film, directed by Jamal Burger and Jukan Tateisi, will premiere on the service on April 23. It debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival last September.
Documentary+, a nonfiction streaming platform available in more than 100 million U.S. homes and over 70 countries, announced the acquisition of worldwide rights to 'Still Single.' The documentary profiles Masaki Saito, the 36-year-old owner of a Michelin two-starred restaurant in Toronto. Trained in Japan from childhood and previously based in New York City, Saito is known for redefining high-end omakase dining by aging his fish to the edge of freshness, a technique that mirrors his bold personal life, according to the film's description. It explores his kitchen artistry, rural Japanese roots, and daily routine. The feature had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, where filmmakers set up a 60-foot outdoor omakase sushi bar on King Street. Documentary+ CEO Geoff Clark praised the film in a statement: “Still Single is exactly the kind of film we want to champion at Documentary+. It’s beautifully crafted, emotionally honest, and wildly entertaining from start to finish. We’re thrilled to give it a home on Doc+, where audiences around the world can discover and fall in love with it as much as we did.” Directors Jamal Burger, a Toronto-based filmmaker, and Jukan Tateisi, a Tokyo- and London-based visual artist and sound designer, are making their feature debuts with the project. Burger said: “I love what Doc+ stands for, and I look forward to seeing the film we brought to life on the same platform as so many other incredible stories. Sharing my first feature as a co-director in an accessible way means the world to me.” The deal was negotiated by Clark for Documentary+ and Nate Bolotin of XYZ Films for the filmmakers. Producers include Fraser Ash and Kevin Krikst for Rhombus Media, Julian Nieva for Common Good, and executive producer Niv Fichman of Rhombus Media. This acquisition follows acTVe's recent purchase of Documentary+, as previously reported by Deadline.