Hikikomori

Camille, 18, has lived shut away in her flat for over a year. Cut off from the world, she takes refuge in video games, manga, dance and drawing. In her notebooks, MYO comes to life — her imaginary alter ego: a bolder, freer, stronger version of herself, able to face everything she runs from.

Each day, Camille slips a little further into the skin of this fictional double to bear a reality she no longer understands. But when her mother gives her an ultimatum and forces her out of her isolation, Camille makes a radical decision: to finally leave her flat… in order to end her life.

For the first time in months, she steps over her threshold. So begins an unexpected journey where the real world — as frightening as it is unpredictable — slowly cracks her certainties. Between encounters, obstacles and confrontations with herself, Camille will have to choose between disappearing or learning to live.

Released in cinemas in France on 24 November 2021, Hikikomori is Sophie Attelann's first feature film. Through a sensitive, immersive approach, the film explores the phenomenon of extreme social withdrawal and the consequences it can have on individuals and those close to them.

After its national release, the film continued its journey through many screening-discussions and film debates. From 2022, Hikikomori was presented at events dedicated to mental health and social withdrawal, encouraging exchanges between audiences, families and professionals in the field.

Between 2023 and 2024, the film continued to be shown at symposiums, community gatherings and cultural events devoted to mental-health issues. In October 2024, it was notably screened during the Mental Health Information Weeks, prompting a debate around the hikikomori phenomenon and its social and family repercussions.

The film's journey also grew internationally. Distributed on Amazon Prime Video across several territories, Hikikomori was also used in an academic setting, notably at the University of Calgary in Canada, as a basis for reflection on social withdrawal and contemporary youth.

More than three years after its theatrical release, Hikikomori continues to be shown and discussed with a wide range of audiences, helping to raise awareness and fuel the debate around a phenomenon that is still largely unknown.