Beyond Utopia (2023) User Reviews

Extraordinary

[carrythe2 · 9/10 · 24 October 2023]

Beyond Utopia is not a journey into the "hermit kingdom" (as other documentaries have attempted over the decades) but a journey out, for those lucky enough to get the opportunity. As Pastor Kim - the film's de facto hero - says, the hard part is not crossing the North Korea/China border, but navigating to safety from China, all the way to South Korea via Thailand. A fraught and treacherous journey indeed, one that is becoming more difficult all the time.

One of the most extraordinary elements of this film is that we, the audience, are privileged to accompany a family of defectors (they were actually banished but I won't go into that) all the way through this exhausting endurance test, and hopefully to safety. Said family is certainly not one you would wish to put through such hardship, consisting as it does of two girls around 6-8 years old, their parents and their grandma of 80 years. An unlikely group of survivors - but these are North Koreans, a people whose hardiness and determination are showcased with extraordinary vividness throughout this film.

The mere act of capturing unauthorised footage in the country is highly dangerous, and yet there is plenty to see here (including some distressing footage of public executions and secret beatings). But the focus is always on the people, their stories, their feelings, their worldview. The filmmakers intentionally make the things about NK we always see on the news (Kim Jong Un, the nukes, the palace intrigue) only background to the realities of everyday life.

But the most extraordinary element of all is Pastor Kim himself, a tirelessly heroic champion who coordinates the journey of the family via the many anonymous brokers who lead, drive and accommodate them on their long journey south. Remarkably, he personally escorts them through much of the journey despite a number of personal injuries and medical complaints, just as he has with hundreds of others before (and hopefully hundreds more in the future).

This is an incredibly emotional journey that is impossible not to feel on the deepest level. A more powerful and intimate documentary about this strange and terrifying country and its people is hard to imagine. By shining such a bright light on the struggles of some of the world's most oppressed citizens, this is a hugely important film that will inspire sympathy across the world, and hopefully even some positive change for North Koreans.

Ever so important testament to human strength

[cutie7 · 8/10 · 16 August 2023]

My favorite movies are the ones that shatter my heart into a million pieces, and this documentary shook me to the core. "Beyond Utopia" is a powerful testament to human strength, skillfully crafted through brave filmmaking that takes us deep into the lives of families striving to escape North Korean oppression. The film's eye-opening portrayal of their journey exposes a world hidden from most of us, serving as a poignant reminder of the lengths people will go to for freedom. In today's world, where social cinema holds immense importance, this documentary stands as a prime example of its significance. However, be prepared for a very tough watch as it showcases the unfiltered reality these families endure.

Beyond Utopia is Pretty Harrowing

[chenp-54708 · 8/10 · 7 February 2023]

Saw this at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival

"Beyond Utopia" is a documentary that follows families as they attempt to escape oppression, revealing a world most of us have never seen. This one won the Audience Award for U. S. Documentary Competition and I managed to get tickets to this one at the last minute and this was surprisingly pretty great.

The concept is something we have heard before but the film does a good job and exploring the dystopia of North Korea and explores political aspects that are genuinely uncomfortable to watch. Throughout, the film has great presentation, the interviews from the participants were interesting to listen as they provide a good insight of their escapes and experiences with North Korea. The direction was pretty good as the film maintains a steadily tone and good structure.

There are scenes of video footage in North Korea prisons or camps that were really difficult to watch and makes the stomach feel pretty uncomfortable to witness. Never once felt bored when watching this film. I can see why it won the awards.

Rating: A+

Sad, uplifting and hard to ignore

[movie-reviews-uk · 10/10 · 12 November 2023]

Ever since seeing "Beyond Utopia" I've been thinking about what makes a top-class documentary. It doesn't need to be entertaining, since that's the job of fiction, but it must be compelling and almost more than real. Maybe that's the trick? To show you an aspect of the world that you'd dismiss as unbelievable if you didn't know it to be true.

That's exactly what you get here. I knew, vaguely, that North Korea was this bizarre puppet state founded by Kim Il Sung and propped up by Russia. I also knew that his dynasty inculcated an almost religious aura around themselves as the father, mother and spirit of the country.

What I didn't know, or consider, was just how these so-called leaders managed to persist in the face of economic collapse, famine and prosperity elsewhere. What they've managed to combine is nationwide brain-washing and a totalitarian state of control that would make Stalin proud.

And yet that still doesn't get to the heart of the darkness. To control the population everyone is spying on everyone else. If you step out of line then you're sent to a reeducation camp. If you really step out of line (by trying to flee the country perhaps) then you wind up in the gulag and no one comes back from the gulag. But before then you'll be beaten, tortured and crushed with your family being forcibly relocated to another part of the country.

Despite this the poor North Korean people in "Beyond Utopia" still love their nation and why shouldn't they. It's where they belong and where their culture resides. The problem is that the communist state forces them to leave and to leave everything behind. It's just horrific on all counts.

The film pulls absolutely no punches in following the perilous journey undertaken by the refugees being tracked. There really isn't much of a happy ending for anyone when you dig into the meat of the story and there aren't any winners. Just victims of a murderous regime. That said it's a must watch if you want to be educated.

Powerful and shocking

[roisinabbott · 10/10 · 24 January 2023]

A heart wrenching story of persecution and corruption. The film extensively investigates the harsh reality of the repressive regime in North Korea that has caused countless individuals and families to flee from oppression.

Incredibly well made, it sensitively reveals the dark and devastating reality of the regular people of North Korea. Focusing in on their humanity and giving a voice to the people who have, for years, been silenced and neglected.

Certainly an uncomfortable and intense watch but extremely gripping and informative. I would highly recommend this film as it is definitely worth watching.

Incredible production

[fvenyc · 10/10 · 24 January 2023]

This movie/documentary has blown me away.

The topic is uncomfortable for sure and there are some intense and dark moments in this film. But there are also lighter parts and hope, which is perfectly balanced throughout the movie.

The quality of the production is exceptional and extraordinary given the circumstances the crew must have been subject to. I can only imagine the harsh and dangerous episodes the crew had to endure by capturing what we see on screen.

I'm thankful that this documentary was made; it provides us a reality check by giving us insight in a world we couldn't even imagine it exists. Forget about sci-fi or fantasy or horror: this is an out-of-this-world experience that is actually real. The footage came across genuine and was never dramatized to cause more effect on the viewer. The storylines were intuitive and therefore touching. The political context was made very clear but not overly prominent or heavily judged; this wasn't needed as the footage spoke for itself.

The sound and editing were excellent and the cadence of scenes and dialogue felt very natural throughout.

After watching over 3000 films it's not easy to get overwhelmed, but this documentary managed to impact me substantially. My compliments to the filmmakers and the producer for taking the risk of trying to cover this topic and then delivering it in such a balanced way. I can highly recommend this film to anyone; watching this was a very "real" yet unexpected experience. 10/10 score and will definitely want to rewatch this soon.

Revelatory and Hopeful Yet Disturbing

[brentsbulletinboard · 8/10 · 25 January 2024]

In today's world, it's almost unfathomable that there are places that exist on this planet that operate on the principles of unbridled cruelty, deliberate deception and mass brainwashing, with even the slightest of infractions capable of leading to banishment to remote gulags, brutal beatings and even savage public executions. However, such are the conditions of everyday life in North Korea, a paranoid, ruthless regime that doesn't hesitate to inflict such indignities on its population and deprive residents of knowledge of anything beyond its borders. In a United Nations human rights report, the unthinkable tactics employed here have been described as being on par with those that were used in Nazi Germany. So it's no wonder there are many who want to escape this harsh reality - that is, at least among those who are able to see beyond the artifice of the false utopian picture that officials have painted of their sorrowful nation. Getting out is far from easy, however, a harrowing venture that often requires defectors to flee northward to China and then maneuver through the challenging terrain of several neighboring Asian countries rather than simply crossing into nearby democratic South Korea, a sanctuary walled off by a de facto combat zone boobytrapped with countless land mines. Seeing what refugees must endure is the aim of documentarian Madeleine Gavin's latest offering, a compilation of defector stories, including those who have succeeded in escaping and those attempting to do so. The latter are compellingly filmed with firsthand, on-the-ground footage, with no reenactments, showing in detail the ordeals they must go through to make their flights to freedom, sometimes successful, sometimes not. In the process, the film also provides audiences with a concise yet comprehensive history of how North Korea reached this point while revealing some little-known troubling secrets about everyday life in this mysterious land, many of which most outsiders have probably never heard of, let alone seen. Because of this, some of the picture's imagery may be considered quite disturbing, especially for sensitive viewers, so those who are easily upset by such troubling visuals should take note. Nevertheless, this BAFTA Award-nominated release is an important piece of filmmaking that those outside this inscrutable enclave should know about - and hope that the world can help to overcome.

Beyond Utopia

[CinemaSerf · 7/10 · 5 January 2024]

Ably stitched together using hand-held, mobile phone and other discreetly shot footage, this documentary tells of people desperate to flee the poverty and oppression they face living in North Korea. It principally follows one particular family who must travel, at great peril to themselves, their guides and "brokers" across the Yalu river into China before continuing through Vietnam, Laos and hopefully across the Mekong into the safety of Thailand. Along the way, though, we are also introduced to other people with equally horrendous stories to tell of family stuck in a nation where malnutrition is rife, clean water is scarce and you are even expected to provide your own poo to the government for use as fertiliser! You must regularly dust your obligatorily hung photos of the "Dear Leader" else you're in for a severe beating... Indeed, for much of this film of all that's dystopian about life there, you could be forgiven for thinking it was all a figment in the mind of some fiction writer - except, I doubt they could make it up! There's a strong testament to the perseverance and resilience of the travellers - young and old - as they struggle with the fear and the jungle to make good their escape. What we see here is that, clearly, this is no walk in the park and it seems to me that many more don't make it than do - and that those who did were shocked by the false messages being conveyed to the outside world by their erstwhile leaders. The intimate nature of the photography and the simple evocative narrative work well here, too, and by midway through I genuinely felt invested in the survival and prosperity of these fundamentally decent people who were just "born in the wrong country"

Exceptional documentary

[maxastree · 9/10 · 17 August 2023]

This film is outstanding.

One of the things about North Korean coverage in general is the tendency for major news brands to craft a somewhat sanitized story about the personality cult of Kim Jong-Un (a fat, spoilt dictator) and his powerful sister (creepy, bloodless, etc).

The issue here is that it evades the real issue with North Korea, namely the suffering public that have endured famine followed further food shortages, public executions and lived in undeveloped squalor amid the sham of fascist indoctrination and state powers that prolong the poverty and repressive nature of the place but require utmost respect from the citizenry.

Throughout the film, without spoiling details, we see the complexities, danger and, at times, heroism of real people escaping the ruins of the Kim dynasty, including rarely seen footage of the state that, not surprisingly, is kept from public view.

The family in much of the narrative leaves in unison, meaning that young children and grandparents also must cross rivers, mountainous terrain and deal with possibly deceptive fixers (or "brokers") that can arrange the network of vans and safe-houses allowing North Koreans to travel thousands of kilometers across Asia to find land where they can be classified as defectors.

At the viewing I attended, audiences were obviously moved by the repressiveness and deprivation of North Korean lives and the relatable humanity of it's victims.

In this particular feature documentary, a South Korean pastor who'd long ago left the North is able to assist with their travels. Having lost a family member in an earlier personal tragedy, Pastor Sengeun Kim risks life and limb helping other family members to improve their lives.

It's not well understood (or perhaps believed) how repressive the North's rules are - defectors risk being shot or may receive severe physical beatings, at worst they may die in the nation's gulag system. Others leave only to be sold into sex trafficking or other exploitative schemes. Some defectors wish to get family members out but are unable to, as the information ban and threat level from the state severely complicates freedom of movement and basic human rights.

Something lasting about seeing this item is that it's human qualities are moving, and authentic. As mentioned, much of the "coverage" we receive of North Korea is factual but also fabricated from motion graphics, recycled news footage, alternately tourists are sometimes allowed by rail from China for brief stage-managed visits of the brighter buildings of Pyongyang where visitors are led to well-maintained memorial statues of their permanent head of state and his offspring. Beyond Utopia actually examines the predicament of lives being lived in North Korea.

Beyond imagination

[puhongxia · 9/10 · 25 March 2023]

Probably the most brutal documentary I've ever seen "Beyond Utopia", which tells the story of how desperate lower-class citizens try to escape from the hell of authoritarian tyranny in North Korea. The most terrifying part was that people would be publicly executed just for using a newspaper with Kim Jong- un's portrait on it to wrap cigarettes in private. Life seems insignificant under such torment.

They are, however, being propagandized that they live in a utopian-like country, and even Kim Jong-un is portrayed as a chosen son sent by God to save them. This pervasive and insane brainwashing is to emphasize the so-called utopia. Yet, the constant fear of having their lives taken away at any moment is a commonplace terror that can be seen everywhere in their lives.

In the end, the son of one of the mothers is caught and beaten to death during his escape attempt, which is suffocating. As those who manage to escape repeatedly emphasize, it's not that people living in this hell don't want to resist, it's that they have never even seen what freedom looks like.

Yet another effort that will not move the needle

[roxlerookie · 2/10 · 31 December 2023]

The video is upfront in what it is: it's stories about people trying to escape North Korea.

And that's my main problem: it's completely anecdotal, there's nothing new compared to, for example, the works of Yeonmi Park, or that documentary on the murder of the brother in that airport.

Interesting questions are not asked. Given that our world is remarkably simple in that following the money usually tells you all you need to know, who is this status quo benefiting? Why don't we have South Korean fortunes funding escapes? Why is the West so clearly indifferent? Why not talk about the abject racism between Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, and even how South Koreans despise North Korean defectors?

I think that questions that "hurt" would be a lot more worth of screen time.

World's tough, people die all the time, North Korea is a hell hole. We know that. What next is a question worth asking, and isn't addressed here.

I found it quite telling that you have to rely on religion to find heroes. Not an NGO, not a government, not a corporate, not a rich patron, not a community, but a church.

The most important movie you can see

[marcusryle · 10/10 · 22 May 2023]

It is easy to think we are already aware that North Korea is "bad", and that its citizens are "oppressed". But can we really imagine what this means every day for the human beings living there? The importance of this film can be overstated. It transcends being "just" a film and becomes a cry for help that all of the free world must heed. Many people literally risked their lives for these stories to be told, and the least we can do to honor them is to hear their stories first hand.

Nazi comparisons today are often thrown around carelessly, however, what is happening in North Korea is truly worthy of the comparison without a hint of hyperbole. But there are some amazing individuals doing their part to make a difference, and it is inspiring to learn more about them in this film.

As of this writing, there is no US distribution for "Beyond Utopia". It seems no one (yet) has the backbone to release this to all Americans. It's likely that echoes of what happened to Sony Pictures with the release of "The Interview" still lingers for some executives. But that risk is so superficial compared to what North Korean citizens are facing every minute. The actions of North Korea deserve to be uncloaked, and this film is a giant step in that direction.

Humanity against the beast

[paul2001sw-1 · 10/10 · 4 February 2024]

Escaping North Korea is hard: first of all you have to get across the border to China, but China (and many other countries in South East Asia) will send you back if caught). A shadowy network of people smugglers can be paid to help you (perhaps by relatives who have already escaped). This documentary follows two people trying to get their relatives out. We see actual video calls with people in the North, and the film-makers have even joined the escapees once they've left the country, enjoying their first tastes of freedom but not yet on safe soil. It makes for a powerful and at times heart-breaking tale. The world is full of terrible things, but the stories we are told of the self-defeating cruelty of the North Korean regime are particularly hard to stomach, even for the initially disinterested viewer. One day the regime will fall; for now, the only hope that people have is to quite literally place their lives on the line and attempt to make it out.

Beyond Words

[zhanghanmo-34644 · 10/10 · 25 January 2023]

A masterful films that depicts North Korea's dystopia unlike any other. An exemplar of the concept of "show not tell," the filmmakers' unique approach in exploring the cruel idiosyncrasies of North Korea -- showing not the words of statesmen and scholars but the statements and actions of those who lived in that reality -- gives the film a certain weight and depth that cannot be found elsewhere.

I chose to describe North Korea's portrayal in the film in two words: "harrowing reality." Harrowing, because the tale of North Korea is one of tragedy without triumph. Innocent people risking everything they've known to make an all-too-treacherous journey seeking what we take for granted, and good people risking their own lives and livelihoods who seek freedom yet never able to do "enough." Reality, because the film tries its best to portray North Korea as it is: not some planet of mindless drones, nor a land of unfeeling monsters. It's a place with people, people who feel happiness and sadness, who have friends and families, who feel loyalty and homeland... but tragically overshadowed by an Orwellian regime that twists all of that into something unimaginably abhorrent.

Overall, an incredibly rich experience that leaves the watchers thinking long after film's end.

A GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMETARY

[karen-99851 · 10/10 · 15 May 2023]

This is a groundbreaking documentary about a place none of us can ever visit and probably will never be able to visit. I was beyond moved watching a story about an important topic that I knew so little about. It's critical for people to see as it's a real eye-opener to something we don't see or hear much about here in the US. While I have friends in the US who did escape with their parents as small children-- they've never shared their personal stories, and now I understand why. It's an intense, harrowing, and emotional documentary that needs to be seen by all. It brings something we've only heard about to actual life.

Thrilling

[orengalchen · 10/10 · 15 May 2023]

Amazing film with rarely seen footage that documents what is really going on in North Korea. Film kept you on the edge of your seat as you follow the lives of actual people attempting to escape North Korea. Film is intermixed with lots of good and shocking commentary of what daily life is really like in North Korea. Hard to believe that a country like that can still exist in the 21st century. Overall, film does an excellent job of both having action and plot twists similar to a typical film while at the same time providing amazing smuggled in camera footage of what the real day to day life(nightmare) is like in North Korea.

A harrowing masterpiece

[jlmorris-86811 · 10/10 · 24 January 2023]

As someone with embarrassingly limited knowledge and understanding of the background and nuances of what happens in the North Korea, this was a shocking, gripping insight into the impact of the regime on an individual level. I became truly invested in every individual Gavin and the team's commitment to providing an account of people's plight for freedom is nothing short of incredible, and the use of gritty first-person iPhone footage provides a stark reminder that this is a documentary and real lives at stake. Beyond this, the documentary and production talent of the whole team is evident - they do a spectacular job of weaving historical and cultural context into the individual stories.

The whole film is stunning, harrowing, anxiety-provoking watching experience - uncomfortable for all the right reasons.

Simply Incredible!

[hannlmorris · 10/10 · 23 January 2023]

I am truly blown away. This was a spectacular film. Gripping, and tense, moving, some scenes reduced me to tears. I experienced so many emotions throughout this harrowing but eye-opening screening. It really kept me locked in, eyes on the screen the entire time. It's so hard to believe that this is an actual documentary about real events and not a fictional thriller. The storyline is an eye-opening account of a family escaping from North Korea, a place which they believed was their paradise, but became an oppressive, harsh and cruel reality.

Do yourself a favour and watch this immmediately!!!

gripping drama

[rhonaedelbaum · 10/10 · 1 April 2023]

Shedding light on one of the most repressive and secretive places in the world, Beyond Utopia is an extraordinary true story of how far people will go to obtain their freedom. The original footage, secretly obtained in N. Korea, can hardly be believed. The Director skillfully weaves varying stories of refugees' desperate attempts to escape their oppressive lives, allowing the viewer to become emotionally invested in every separate narrative. At a moment in time when so much of the world takes their liberties and privileges for granted, it reminds us of how far desperate people will go to make their lives and the lives of their family's better. I felt my heart stop several times from the dramatic tension and literally cheered at the end. A masterful story everyone should see.

Harrowing

[andrea-62510 · 10/10 · 10 April 2023]

I just saw the film at CPHDOX and loved it! WOW! What an intense and gripping documentary tracking these citizens of North Korea who are desperate to escape by any means necessary. A South Korean pastor helps these brave souls and the director, Gavin, is there to record every harrowing movement and decision along the way.

The film has a great filmic presentation, the interviews from the participants are interesting to listen to as they provide a window into their experiences in North Korea. The plight for freedom for all of these North Korean citizens is incredible. It is a stunning and an uncomfortable film to watch, especially the scenes in North Korea prisons or camps, but it is necessary to see. All awards are justly deserved.

Tough Lives and Brave Hearts of North Korean Defectors

[pizzacrust-29242 · 10/10 · 13 July 2023]

"Beyond Utopia" is a film that really hits home. It takes us right into the lives of North Korean defectors, showing the hard truth of life back in their home country and their daring run for freedom.

But this movie isn't just about a thrilling escape. It's about the big ideas of freedom and democracy, and what happens when people don't have them. It makes you think about how much these rights matter, and how far people would go to get them.

The people who made "Beyond Utopia" did a great job of telling this difficult story. It all feels real, from the plot to the characters, and that makes the struggle of the defectors all the more moving.

What's really interesting about "Beyond Utopia" is how it makes you think about freedom and democracy. It shows you the importance of these things, and what life is like without them. It's a good reminder to value our rights and understand the lengths some go to gain them.

The look of the film is also pretty cool. Every scene is shot well, adding to the story and making you feel even more connected to what's happening on screen.

To wrap up, "Beyond Utopia" isn't just a movie. It's a close look at a world we don't know much about, and a story about some real brave people fighting for a better life. It's the kind of movie that stays with you and makes you think, and it's definitely worth a watch.

A document of mutual guarantee

[hilatov · 10/10 · 17 July 2023]

This is a brave and important human document like no other. The fact that any of us can go on with our lives after watching this movie is a shocking point to think about. This film should be shown in every educational system in the world, as a document of mutual guarantee. The film is made with human wisdom and human love. The illustration that completes the places where the camera did not collect evidence is a subtle and smart presence. There is no doubt that I will carry this film inside me for many days to come. Social cinema is an activity that we should all embrace with love. There are cases like in this case, that the film is all that can be done and therefore its distribution is so important. Our world is undergoing an alarming change, and by watching such a film, we leave our consciousness compassionate, aware and alert.

Beyond Utopia

[M0n0_bogdan · 8/10 · 17 April 2024]

Firstly, I am against anything the Kim-Jong bloodline stands for but at the same time they did such an incredible job keeping their people blind regarding the rest of the world I cannot also blame the people for this.

In Romania we had like 40 years of communism. We were kept in the dark but even with the "Securitatea" breathing down on our backs regarding what we say about our fearless leader and what we do but at the same time, we were listening to "Radio Free Europe" and contrabanding American movies, music, jeans, etc. We gave signs that we were fighting the system. I don't see anything like that from the North Koreans, except, of course, from the ones that try to flee the country.

For me, North Korea is an experimental country where extreme communism is allowed to exist because the external factors that exist don't put enough pressure one - they could, like they did with many European ex-communist countries.

So anyone who wants communism or flirts with the idea, North Korea is your ideal place to live. Take advantage as soon as possible because it will not last long.