Directed by Roxy Rezvany, this documentary short tells the story of Joong-wha Choi, a North Korean immigrant living in London. He’s a member of one of the largest communities of North Koreans in Europe. There he lives with his wife and their three children. Although everything is seemingly fine in Joong-wha Choi’s current life, he still misses his old home in North Korea.
In this short he talks about his experience living there and the struggles he had to face so early in his life. He also explores how the decision of him living affected him and his family still in North Korea, and how that plays a big role in his everyday life today.
With good use of cinematography, editing, and music, Rezvany tells this story in a way people can relate to Joong-wha. The close-ups of his face, which literally brings us close to him, creates an atmosphere of intimacy and trust, helping to establish a relationship between the audience and him. The music also creates an emotional state that helps feel empathy towards what it’s being told. The pink background aids in that aspect too, while also bringing a warm atmosphere to the story. Production design plays a key-role in how some of the stories Joong-wha tells us come to life in our eyes and imagination.
The story of Little Pyongyang is told beautifully thanks to these technical elements and the captain at helm who helped guide each of them. Because a story as important as this one, it had to be told in a way that people, more than knowing it, feel the urge of understanding it and do something to make Joong-wha’s dream come true. — words by Joel Melendez
What the Festival Jury are Saying:
The stories that he tells are fascinating and heart wrenching and the sacrifices he has made for his family and children along with his efforts to change North Korea’s way of life is admirable. It’s refreshing to watch a documentary like this that is doing something different and interesting visually it feels new and fresh.
Caitlin Higgins
Very high production quality based on originality, Beatriz Sastre’s intuitive visuals as D.P., editing…and most of all a heartfelt, though difficult true life story told by a man who has had the experiences of extreme oppression and liberation. Masterful and utterly human.
Jasmine May
Very nice work. Interesting story, compelling and beautifully put together. Stands out in terms of direction, expressed through the director’s stylistic decisions. Well edited and a successful revisit of the ‘talking heads’ style videos.
Niccolò Montanari
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