Beyond Utopia

Beyond Utopia is a 2023 American documentary film directed by Madeleine Gavin. The film debuted at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. The documentary centers around Sengeun Kim, a pastor who defected from North to South Korea and who facilitates North Korean defections.

Beyond Utopia
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMadeleine Gavin
Produced by
CinematographyKim Hyun-seok
Edited byMadeleine Gavin
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
January 21, 2023 (Sundance)
Running time
115 minutes
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • Korean

Release

The film debuted at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023.[1] The film was screened at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in the "Documentary Showcase" section on October 8, 2023.[2] In the United States, distributor Roadside Attractions will release the film in select theaters in late 2023, which allows the film to qualify for Academy Award consideration. Fathom Events acquired distribution rights for a nationwide two-day screening on October 23, and October 24, 2023.[3]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 18 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.6/10.[4] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 84 out of 100, based on seven critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[5]

Writing for /Film, Ben Pearson awarded the film a score of 9 out of 10 and found the handheld footage to be "nothing short of extraordinary."[6] Variety's Owen Gleiberman praised the film for showing audiences the "forgotten" tragedy of North Korea through its use of impressive first-hand camerawork.[7] In a more mixed review, Daniel Fienberg, writing for The Hollywood Reporter, found the film to have an tension-filled and emotional story while following the defecting families, but derided the inclusion of a "dry and lifeless" history lesson on North Korea that didn't fit alongside the compelling first-hand accounts.[8]

Accolades
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Sundance Film Festival 29 January 2023 U.S. Documentary Competition: Grand Jury Prize Beyond Utopia Nominated [9]
U.S. Documentary Competition: Audience Award Won
Sydney Film Festival 18 June 2023 GIO Audience Award for Best International Documentary Won [10]
Jerusalem Film Festival 23 July 2023 In Spirit for Freedom Award Nominated [11]
Critics' Choice Documentary Awards 12 November 2023 Best Documentary Feature Pending [12]
Best Political Documentary Pending
Best Director Madeleine Gavin Pending
Best Editing Pending

References
  1. "Beyond Utopia | Sundance Film Festival". festivalplayer.sundance.org. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  2. "The 28th Busan International Film Festival: Selection List". Busan International Film Festival. September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  3. Morfoot, Addie (August 28, 2023). "Sundance Doc 'Beyond Utopia' Scores U.S. Theatrical Release From Fathom Events and Roadside Attractions (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  4. "Beyond Utopia". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  5. "Beyond Utopia". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  6. Pearson, Ben (January 25, 2023). "Beyond Utopia Review: A Jaw-Dropping Documentary About Escape From North Korea [Sundance]". /Film. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  7. Gleiberman, Owen (January 24, 2023). "'Beyond Utopia' Review: A Staggering Look at the Nightmare of North Korea, and Some Brave Souls Who Try to Escape It". Variety. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  8. Fienberg, Daniel (January 25, 2023). "'Beyond Utopia' Review: An Uneven but Gripping Doc About North Korean Defectors". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  9. Donnelly, Matt; Debruge, Peter (January 27, 2023). "Sundance Winners: 'A Thousand and One' Takes U.S. Dramatic Jury Prize (Complete List)". Variety. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  10. "The winners of the 70th Sydney Film Festival". Sydney Film Festival. June 20, 2023. Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  11. "Beyond Utopia". Jerusalem Film Festival. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  12. Davis, Clayton (October 16, 2023). "Critics Choice Documentary Awards: 'American Symphony' Leads Nominations, Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' Lands Nod After Record-Setting Weekend". Variety. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
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