Race To Freedom: ‘Beyond Utopia’ Documents Desperate Attempt To Flee Brutal Life In North Korea – Telluride

deadline.com:

Human Rights Watch states the case very clearly: North Korea “remains one of the most repressive countries in the world.” In a 2022 report, the nonprofit said, “The North Korean government does not respect the rights to freedom of thought, opinion, expression or information… Fear of collective punishment is used to silence dissent.” Amnesty International, in a 2022 report of its own, noted, “More than 40% of the population were undernourished and required humanitarian assistance.” It added, “Teenagers were reportedly executed for watching and sharing a South Korean TV show.” The U.S.

State Department, in a 2022 assessment, outlined a staggering tally of abuses in North Korea, “including coerced abortion and forced sterilization; trafficking in persons… and the worst forms of child labor.” Given these nightmarish conditions, small wonder that many in the country of nearly 26 million would like to leave (even though they are told from childhood on that they live in an earthly paradise).

But to flee is extremely difficult and extremely dangerous, as seen in the documentary Beyond Utopia, which screened this weekend at the Telluride Film Festival.

Director Madeleine Gavin came onto the project after meeting Hyeonseo Lee, author of the book The Girl with Seven Names, who fled North Korea 25 years ago.