Madeleine Gavin on her film "Beyond Utopia"

Madeleine Gavin on her film "Beyond Utopia"

Hammer Museum

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1,925 views  Nov 3, 2023

Co-presented with KCRW

A suspenseful look at the lengths people will go to gain freedom, Beyond Utopia follows various individuals as they attempt to flee North Korea, one of the most oppressive places on Earth, a land they grew up believing was a paradise. At the film’s core are a mother desperate to reunite with the child she was forced to leave behind; a family of five — including small children and an elderly grandmother — embarking on a treacherous journey across the Yalu River and into the hostile mountains of China; and a man of God on a mission to help these desperate souls. Leaving their homeland is fraught with danger — severe punishment if caught and possibly even execution — as well as potential exploitation by unscrupulous brokers. Family members who remain behind also may face retribution. Yet these individuals are driven to take the risk. Gripping, visceral, and urgent, Madeleine Gavin’s film embeds the viewer with these family members as they attempt their perilous escape, palpably conveying life-or-death stakes. The result is a singular, illuminating, and unforgettable experience. 

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3 Comments

Sejin Lifeforce 生命

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@gerrymcdonald6194

4 months ago

I watched the movie today. It is COMPELLING, COMPELLING, COMPELLING! A 'must watch'. Enormously revealing in the most truthful and heart wrenching way. When you see how North Koreans suffer under the regime of Kim Jong Un it's beyond heart-breaking. When you see the terrifying risks North Koreans face trying to escape their country to freedom your heart races with pity and fear. When you see how cruelly North Korean authorities treat those they capture trying to escape the country, and punish their families. your heart breaks. Want to know the TRUTH about North Korea? .. then I urge you to watch this movie!

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@fonduelover7420

2 months ago

Thank you for this Film. one of the best documentaries that I have ever seen! An Update on how the family is doing would be nice!

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@tiffers30

3 months ago

This documentary is well done. Thankful to Madeleine and the entire team for their dedication to make these stories accessible to us all. I have read several defector stories and have searched for more information on the current state in North Korea - of course, finding very little. I also urge people to watch this movie.

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