Written by Dan Barriga. Photo by Dan Barriga.
Presented at the SCAD Museum of Art, “Beyond Utopia” is one of the most thrilling, unpredictable and edge-of-your-seat documentaries I have ever seen. With a packed theater, this film captured the attention of the entire audience with ease.
The documentary follows a pastor, Sengeun Kim, who helps a family of 5 who escaped from North Korea and a mother who is trying to rescue her son whom she left behind after defecting to South Korea. The documentary not only educates the audience about the ongoing atrocities and recent news but also the history behind the North Korean regime. The documentary also displayed first-hand accounts of the quality of life within the hermit kingdom. With this information, the audience can understand how the government operates and why so few people can escape North Korea.
At the documentary’s end, a Q&A was held with director Madeleine Gavin and producer Rachel Cohen. The remarkable journey and process of filming this story took around three to four years, all while doing other projects in between, according to Gavin. North Korea is known for threatening anyone who criticizes their country, which can mean either a cyber attack or even death. During the film’s production, pastor Kim was “super skeptical,” but “a tough cookie” because of the severity and risk of even making this documentary. With the risks involved, Gavin and Cohen agreed that creating this film is necessary to spread awareness about a country that prides itself on being a “utopia,” while its citizens suffer.
