a review of

#73 (March 14/31): Mubi ran a three-film series of documentaries about the North Korean regime, and I figured I'd catch them before they disappeared. This one was an unexpected gem, detailing an attempt by a Danish filmmaker, Mads Brugger, and a pair of Danish-Korean comedians to secretly film a documentary uncovering the truth of life in NK, under the guise of a cultural exchange trip. The emotional center of the film is Jacob, one of the comedians, who has a neuro-muscular disorder that affects his movements and speech. Since NK is notorious for exterminating their disabled citizens, Jacob experiences their government handlers' heavily stage-managed show of kindness and hospitality as a kind of cognitively-dissonant horror. The film culminates in a terrifying sequence in which the trio are brought to a militaristic propaganda rally and very nearly betray their true feelings about the NK regime. Although I think a certain amount of foreknowledge about NK and its history is useful here, the film's focus on the Danish cultural exchange and their encounters with the functionaries provides a natural "in" for the audience.