On November 15, 1977, 13-year-old Japanese girl Megumi Yakota left her school to go home – and disappeared. Allegedly kidnapped by the North Koreans to teach their spies to speak fluent Japanese, the government claim she committed suicide. Her parents, however, are convinced she is still alive.

Director Mirjam van Veelen’s film fuses documentary with drama to investigate one of the most bizarre episodes in recent Japanese history, revisiting the site of the abduction, recreating some of the events in this strange tale and trying to bring the elusive character of Megumi to life.

The story is ongoing, and may never be resolved, but Megumi’s family and classmates are touchingly unshakeable in their faith that the girl survived and is still alive and well – and, 30 years later, may yet finally come home.

To read our interview with the director Mirjam van Veelen, click here.

To read a review of the film, click here.

Director: Mirjam van Veelen
Producer: Mirjam van Veelen / John Williams ( co producer)
Cinematographer: Benito Strangio
Music: Robin de Raaff
Country: Japan / Netherlands
Length: 63 minutes
Official film website