A documentary completed on condition that it is not screened in Japan, to be screened in Sydney

Andreas Hartmann (left) and Arata Mori (right), co-directors of a documentary film ' Johatsu: Into Thin Air.' Inset: a scene from the documentary film. Credit: Andreas Hartmann and Arata Mori

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Every year in Japan, thousands of people disappear voluntarily to start a new life. 'Johatsu' means to evaporate or evaporating. Berlin-based filmmakers Andreas Hartmann and Arata mori made a documentary together to explore the phenomenon of “evaporating people" in Japan.

Johatsu: Into Thin Air Credit: Andreas Hartmann and Arata Mori

It took six years to complete the documentary, under strict conditions that it will not be screened in Japan. Now it will be selected and screened at the Antenna Documentary Film Festival in Sydney starting this week.

The idea of the film came about 10 years ago when Mr Hartmann was in Kyoto, Japan, on his artist residency program.

Mr Mori is from Japan and currently resides in Berlin. He said that Johatsu is a hard theme for a documentary to make in Japan, but being an international team helped them to gain trust from the people featured.

In the interview, Mr Mori also talks about the significance of looking at Japan from the outside.

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