Kicking off November 8 in Estonia, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (aka PÖFF) is a strong showcase for independent voices in international cinema. One premiere on our radar is Lina Lužytė and Nerijus Milerius’ Jōhatsu, which explores the Japanese phenomenon of deliberate disappearance, making for a chilling Lithuanian thriller featuring cinematography by Vytautas Katkus (who shot this year’s Locarno winner Toxic). We’re pleased to exclusively debut the first trailer ahead of the world premiere.
Here’s the synopsis: “Lina’s life seems perfect: a cozy flat, a caring boyfriend, and a rewarding job at a morgue in Vilnius, Lithuania. One day, the body of a dead sailor is delivered. His wife claims to recognize him, but Lina isn’t convinced. The uncertainty piques her curiosity and, despite the dangers, she becomes obsessed with finding the missing sailor. Along the way, clues lead to the Lithuanian port town, but the mysteries only multiply. The film’s tense and grim atmosphere conveys the profound sense of johatsu – the vanishing of a person without a trace. Where will Lina’s search take her, and what is she really looking for?”
“Why do people decide to escape their comfortable routines and erase their traces from the world ready-made for them?,” said the directors in a statement. “Pondering upon this question we’ve started developing JOHATSU. Japanese word ‘Johatsu’ describes a phenomenon of a desire to vanish without a trace. Johatsu marks not a momentarily distraction or a need for a retreat but a radical transformation when the whole history of a person as well as the person itself get erased. That’s exactly why Lina’s character is so precious to us.”
See the trailer below:
The post Exclusive Trailer for Jōhatsu, a Lithuanian Thriller Exploring a Japanese Phenomenon first appeared on The Film Stage.
