Beyond Utopia

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Beyond Utopia

PG-13

2023

1h 55m

Documentary

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100%

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58 Reviews

99%

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500+ Ratings

A suspenseful, riveting portrait of the lengths people will go to gain freedom, BEYOND UTOPIA follows various families as they attempt to flee North Korea, one of the most oppressive places on Earth, a land they grew up believing was a paradise. At the film's core is a courageous pastor, a man of God on a mission to help a mother reunite with the child she was forced to leave behind, and a family of five -- including small children and an elderly grandmother -- embarking on a treacherous journey into the hostile mountains of China. Leaving their homeland is fraught with unimaginable danger -- yet these individuals are driven to take the risk. Gripping, thrilling, and never more timely, Madeleine Gavin's award-winning film embeds the viewer with these family members as they attempt their perilous escape, palpably conveying life-or-death stakes. The result is a singular, heart-pounding, and unforgettable experience.

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Critics Consensus

A documentary that feels like a thriller, Beyond Utopia is a gripping -- and frightening -- glimpse of life under oppression.

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Audience Says

A must-see documentary, Beyond Utopia is equal parts informative, exciting, and flat-out scary.

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James Jackson

The Times (UK)

01/31/2024

5/5

Their escape footage, filmed on the family’s phones, gave a sense of fear that was unsettlingly contagious, and made you think how smartphones now inform this kind of documentary. They can give an unfiltered and close-up immediacy...

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

11/04/2023

Documentaries with life-or-death stakes, not to mention wider resonance in our increasingly unsettled geopolitical world, don’t get much more nerve-racking... At the same time, the film is inspiring about the lengths people will go to for a better life.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

11/02/2023

Beyond Utopia follows various families as they attempt to flee North Korea. It is eye-opening and outstanding. In essence, it is a life-or-death thriller told in real time where the stakes could not be higher.

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James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Feb 10

3.5/4

Beyond Utopia falls short of masterpiece status but it is a powerful and affecting piece of filmmaking – one that highlights not only the horrors of living inside North Korea but illustrates the dangers and difficulties of escaping.

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Ricardo De Querol

El Pais (Spain)

07/05/2024

Unlike other documentaries with a political perspective that are focused on describing a regime, here, we put face and eyes on the experience. [Full review in Spanish]

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John Serba

Decider

03/15/2024

Beyond Utopia feels like humanitarian journalism in its purest form, contributing to a damning portrait of authoritarianism and inspiring human perseverance.

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Gretchen L H

11/10/2023

Many personal photos and stories of a North Korean family. Questioned about what they thought of their country - honest answers that changed from positive to negative. A little too much screen time plowing through the jungle. Powerful depiction and great difficulties in escaping from North Korea. Glad to see that there are organizations aiding citizens to escape but how very difficult the North Korean government makes it nearly impossible.

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Liz

10/25/2023

Honest documentary of the atrocious repressive regime of North Korea and the relentless torture and suffering of its people that they cannot help but seek defection for survival.

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James A R

10/25/2023

Wow, just amazing what we take for granted. —JAR

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Juan

10/25/2023

Very sad but very grateful.

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Michael S

10/25/2023

Sobering reality of how blessed we are in America and how we need to pray for the North Koreans.

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PR

10/25/2023

Incredible and harrowing story of the struggle to be free. Just mesmerizing.

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Madeleine Gavin

Director

Lee So-yeon

Self

Barbara Demick

Self

Sung-eun Kim

Self

Hyeonseo Lee

Self

Jana Edelbaum

Producer

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Synopsis

A suspenseful, riveting portrait of the lengths people will go to gain freedom, BEYOND UTOPIA follows various families as they attempt to flee North Korea, one of the most oppressive places on Earth, a land they grew up believing was a paradise. At the film's core is a courageous pastor, a man of God on a mission to help a mother reunite with the child she was forced to leave behind, and a family of five -- including small children and an elderly grandmother -- embarking on a treacherous journey into the hostile mountains of China. Leaving their homeland is fraught with unimaginable danger -- yet these individuals are driven to take the risk. Gripping, thrilling, and never more timely, Madeleine Gavin's award-winning film embeds the viewer with these family members as they attempt their perilous escape, palpably conveying life-or-death stakes. The result is a singular, heart-pounding, and unforgettable experience.

Director: Madeleine Gavin
Producer: Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen, Sue Mi Terry
Distributor: Fathom Events
Production Co: The deNovo Initiative, Human Rights Foundation, 19340 Productions, XRM Media, iDeal Partners Film Fund, Random Good Foundation
Rating: PG-13 (Violent Content|Thematic Material|Disturbing Images)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 23, 2023, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.4K
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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