LONDON, UK – Producer and director Maria Johnsen announces her debut feature, How to Disappear Slowly, a provocative psychological drama set to challenge audiences by exposing the profound human cost of digital-age isolation. The film confronts the often-invisible tragedy of identity eroding under the weight of societal indifference, creating a powerful statement about the fractured search for belonging in a world defined by hyper-connectivity and relentless self-promotion.
Johnsen’s work arrives at a critical cultural moment. While social platforms promise ultimate connection, feelings of profound loneliness and insignificance are escalating globally. How to Disappear Slowly is an unflinching look behind the digital facade, centering on a protagonist whose life doesn’t end with a visible conflict, but with the quiet, devastating force of being unseen.
A New Kind of Antagonist: The Weight of Neglect
Diverging sharply from traditional drama, the film features no visible antagonist or external threat. Instead, its central conflict is purely psychological: the slow-motion erosion of the human spirit when it is perpetually overlooked. The narrative follows an individual whose internal world collapses as the external world fails to acknowledge their existence. This lack of recognition, Johnsen argues, is the ultimate modern villain.
“We live in a time obsessed with being seen, on screens, on feeds, yet isolation is rampant, and the pressure to perform happiness is suffocating,” says Johnsen. “With How to Disappear Slowly, I wanted to capture what remains invisible: the way silence and neglect can hollow out a person from the inside. The greatest tragedies don’t always announce themselves with fanfare; they happen quietly, in small rooms, behind closed doors. This film is an act of witnessing, a demand that we recognize the subtle violence of indifference.”
The Filmmaker’s Vision and Style
Maria Johnsen, a previously recognized voice in experimental short film and visual arts, has translated her unique artistic sensibility into this feature debut. Her style is deliberate and sparse, forcing the audience into uncomfortable intimacy with the protagonist’s descent.
Johnsen employs a stark, controlled visual language to mirror the internal collapse. Sterile lighting, the unnerving sound of a ticking clock, and dust gathering on neglected furniture serve as physical manifestations of emotional decay and time slipping away. These harsh elements are meticulously contrasted with fleeting, vibrant symbols of nature, water, flowing grass, and small animals, representing the innate vitality, continuity, and sense of belonging the protagonist desperately longs to reclaim. This visual dichotomy creates an unsettling, immersive meditation that stays with the viewer long after the credits roll.
About Maria Johnsen
Maria Johnsen is a multifaceted filmmaker, director/producer, songwriter, actress, and author, whose work reaches audiences worldwide. Her feature debut marks a bold new direction in her storytelling, blending emotional depth with a cinematic sensibility honed in acclaimed genre shorts such as The Ghost on the Bridge and Pauline’s Love Spell.
Through her production company, Golden Way Media Films, she has achieved remarkable global success, with her films distributed in over 250 countries, earning the prestigious Excellence Award for Media Storytelling in 2024.
Johnsen’s background is a unique blend of artistic passion and entrepreneurial vision, holding a Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering, Digital Innovation, and a Master of Arts in Film and TV Production from Royal Holloway. Her diverse expertise is further showcased by her prolific output as an author of 98 books, with nonfiction works on filmmaking, marketing, and artificial intelligence widely respected and taught at prestigious institutions, including Harvard University and other top universities in North America and Europe.
Media Contact
Company Name: Golden Way Media Films Production
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Country: United Kingdom
Website: https://www.goldenwaymediafilms.com/