It is tough to surmise my reactions for the theatrical release of
The Great North Korean Picture Show. (Lynn and James released the first version
for East 101 for Al Jareeza network earlier.)
I went into the show with the scantest presumptions of North Korea.
Just a few days before the screening I had stumbled upon a Ted Talk delivered by Hyeonseo Lee
on her escape from North Korea and watched it while she shared her experiences
getting out of the country. Pictures of starving children and the famous
darkened map of North Korea unlit with the lack of electricity flooded my mind
as I sat down, waiting for the documentary to start.
The directors had been quite adamant on informing viewers many
disclaimers that went into making this documentary. Most documentaries, you
will find directors as intrusive as the ones you find here in The Great North
Korean Picture Show. Though I appreciate how the filmmakers had wanted this to
be as credible film as possible, this intrusive knowledge had heightened my own
perception of the standard of censorship in North Korea. I hadn’t wanted to
come to watch this film to again, reinforce what we already have perceived
North Korea to be.
Before I even begin to dismiss the film, the beauty of
documentaries kick. Despite the distracting disclaimers, it actually heightened
the message the filmmakers wanted to show to us through this documentary – that
these people that they had the privilege of spending time with – that the North
Koreans are still human after all.
To me, the documentary seemed to be like a beautiful courtship
between the filmmakers and North Korea. Filmmakers were match made to meet with
prospective, interested partner (North Korea’s film industry) by the guardian.
Of course, with a date set up by the match maker, the first date the filmmaker
had were mete with eagerness to share their vibrant personality, and yet cautious
with sharing too much. Progressively with each date (spanning over months of
arrangements), they get comfortable with each other and more and more sides of
the date start to reveal itself.
Intentional or not, I think it is a wise decision for the
directors to focus on documenting an industry and culture of North Korea that
they are very proud of – their film industry. Through documenting and interview
various people involved in, or wanting to be part of the film industry in North
Korea, it is inevitable that we are granted the rare privy into the lives of
the citizens of North Korea.
Although how refreshing the documentary is from detracting
from our very crude impression of North Korea, I still have my doubts. I am
still watching young budding actors on screen – actors who have been trained to
do what they do for a living – act. Even if we were given privy into their own
personal lives and a peek into what they think and how they behave, I still
wonder if they are truly had let their guard down for the camera to capture
them as it is, or were they carrying on an act.
Overall, it is a fascinating documentary. Though the
theatrical version may have finished its run during the SEAFF 2013, you may
watch the shorter, newsy version that was first aired on Al Jareeza.
Review by Yiz