Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2013

Sometimes it takes an outsider to shine a light on a country’s unique social phenomenon. Such is the case with the documentary Saving 10,000: Winning the War on Suicide in Japan. Irishman Rene Duignan decided to tackle the taboo subject during free time from his day jobs as a professor and an economist for the Delegation of the European Union to Japan.

In the opening scenes of the one-hour doc, he marvels that books teaching readers methods of killing themselves sell millions of copies, but people are reluctant to talk about Japan’s high suicide rate—twice that of the US and twelve times that of the Philippines. In an effort to find out why, the part-time filmmaker spent three years interviewing experts working on the front lines fighting suicide, from police officers to a Buddhist monk.

The resulting work has garnered attention far beyond Duignan’s dreams. Earlier this year, a special screening was held for members of the Japanese Diet, along with speeches by prominent politicians. “I gave away 140 DVDs that day,” he recalls, “because what better place can you give them away?” A recent screening at the EU Delegation in Tokyo was followed by expert speeches on the best prevention practices abroad. The interest politicians have already taken in the film is unprecedented and has the potential to lead to new policies. But as Duignan reflects in the film, “it is not up to the government to save us. Sometimes all you need to save someone’s life is to take the time to listen.”

Saving 10,000 can be viewed for free online at www.saving10000.com