Poster design

Johatsu

Every year, thousands of people vanish without a trace in Japan. Known as the Johatsu, or “the evaporated,” they abandon their lives for various reasons, a troublesome relationship, mounting debts or threats from the mafia. Some get support from so-called “night moving” companies, which help people to disappear and start a new life somewhere else. Taking an intimate look into the phenomenon of “evaporating people,” JOHATSU – INTO THIN AIR depicts the inner conflicts and attempts at reconciliation of those who have disappeared and those who have been left behind.

Feature length documentary film
Length 86 min
Year 2024

Directors: Andreas Hartmann & Arata Mori
Editor: Kai Eiermann (BFS)
Composers: Jana Irmert & Mika Takehara
Additional Music: Fabrizio Tentoni
Sound Design: Nils Vogel
Re-recording Mixer: Linus Nickl
Commissioning Editors: Petra Felber, Martin Kowalczyk (BR), Monika Lobkowicz (BR/ARTE)
Broadcasters: Bayerischer Rundfunk, ARTE, SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen & yesDocu
Sponsors: Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien & Film- und Medienstiftung NRW
German Distributor: Real Fiction
International Sales: CAT&Docs

26th Thessaloniki iDF 2024 “International Competition” (World Premiere) 21st CPH:DOX 2024 “Highlights