Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 2009
Kimjongilia (film)
Buy Kimjongilia (film) now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'Kimjongilia' is a documentary film directed by N.C. Heikin that tells the stories of North Korean prison camp survivors and escapees from the country. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January 2009.[http://festival.sundance.org/2009/film_events/films/kimjongilia Sundance webpage]
Contents
Life in North Korea is examined through interviews with North Korean defectors. Included are stories from people who served time in North Korean prisons, former military officers, and artists, among others.
The title is a reference to a variety of flower named after North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
Reception
The film had only a limited theatrical run and received mixed reviews. Reviewers acknowledged the importance of Heikin's subject, but found her juxtaposition of shocking narratives with interpretive dances distracting.Atkinson, Michael (March 16, 2010) "Kimjongilia Addresses the Mess that Is North Korea" 'Village Voice'Schenker, Andrew (March 15, 2010) "Review: Kimjongilia" 'Slant'
Metacritic, gave the film a weighted average of 44/100, based on only four reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 60% rating out of 10 reviews.
See also
* Kimjongilia
References
Buy Kimjongilia (film) now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 2009