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Kimjongilia (Korean: 김정일리아) 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.

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.

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

1. Sundance webpage
2. White, Thomas. "Meet the Filmmakers: NC Heikin--'Kimjongilia'". Documentary. Los Angeles: International Documentary Association. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
3. Atkinson, Michael (March 16, 2010) "Kimjongilia Addresses the Mess that Is North Korea" Village Voice
4. Schenker, Andrew (March 15, 2010) "Review: Kimjongilia" Slant
5. "Kimjongilia". Metacritic. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
6. "Kimjongilia". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 7 November 2021.

External links

• Official website
• N.C. Heikin Blog
• Kimjongilia at IMDb

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