An engrossing and timely documentary, Abduction tells the story of young Megumi Yokota, a Japanese teenager who vanishes while walking home from school one afternoon in 1977. While her parents and the police initially suspect a typical runaway or child abduction scenario, two decades go by without any clue as to her whereabouts.

The film lets the viewer know that a larger conspiracy is at play, namely that North Korea has kidnapped Yokota along with at least a dozen others in an effort to train their undercover agents destined for spy missions in Japan. This amazing and stunning revelation carries the second half of the film, as the families of the missing lobby the media and the government to force Kim Jong Il to return the abducted. One gets the sense that the event was a Japanese cultural touchstone along the lines of Rodney King or O.J. Simpson, so it is fascinating to watch a 90 minute recap of a 30 year story on screen.

The film itself does not stray from the conventional low-budget documentary format, but the subject material is so strong and the characters so engaging that the modest production values don't harm the narrative at all. The family members are angry, confused, and persistent, and though the conclusion is hardly pleasant, Abduction is a story well worth your time and attention.

Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story
Saturday, October 21st
4:00pm @ Landmark Dobie Theater [map]

Additional Screening
Wednesday, October 25th
7:00pm @ Bob Bullock IMAX Theater

AFF website

Photo via Abductionfilm.com.