The deal was negotiated by Submarine Entertainment and Marc H. Madeleine Gavin and her team at Ideal Partners have created a gripping documentary, which offers an intimate and courageous first hand account of a multi-generational’s family perilous escape from the most oppressive regime we have been witness to. Howard Cohen, Roadside Attractions co-president calls “Beyond Utopia” “an exceptional film, which we are proud to be releasing for an academy-qualifying run in the fall. “Audiences across the country need to see these true stories of incredible human courage and Fathom Events is honored to be the partner bringing these stories to the big screen.” “This film, documenting the sheer bravery of people risking everything to escape North Korea, is extremely moving and powerful,” says Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events. The sale of the film to a major theatrical distributor is a breath of fresh air given the fact that over the last two years several indie-made social issue docus have not been acquired. We hear about missile launches, parades and Kim Jong-un watching over everything, smiling and laughing.” Without them, they would not exist as a country. Too often, we focus on what North Korea’s leaders want us to focus on, which is their nukes. “I wanted to crack that world open to people. “As I researched this film, I became more and more outraged that nobody is talking about North Koreans themselves,” Gavin said. In January Gavin told Variety that making “Beyond Utopia” was an opportunity to change the conversation around the North Korean repressive regime by moving the focus from its brutal leader Kim Jong-un and onto the ordinary citizens who have been abused and neglected by the country. In the last 10 years, he has helped 1,000 people to escape, risking his own safety. The documentary’s central figure is Pastor Seungeun Kim, a South Korean Christian who himself defected from North Korea. I am incredibly grateful to Fathom and to Roadside for helping to bring these voices to audiences around the country. “An entire nation of people - 26 million individuals - have existed inside the shrouded borders of North Korea, and have not been heard by the outside world. “The journey I have been on in the making of this film has been the most meaningful of my career and the friendships I have made will stay with me for a lifetime,” says Gavin. The footage also shows citizens lining up to watch a public execution. Citizens who have gotten in trouble with the regime are savagely beaten and tortured. In addition to capturing the harrowing escape, the footage also captures what it’s like inside North Korea. The director got ahold of the forbidden footage after it was smuggled out of the country. A Working Dog Production, in association with ABC.Using hidden camera footage, Gavin tells the high-stakes journey that a handful of desperate souls make in order to defect from North Korea - a country with the most brutal regime on earth, led by a dictator, Kim Jong-un. ABC TV Executive Producers Brett Sleigh and Todd Abbott. Michael Hirsh and Deb Herman are Executive Producers. Utopia is written and produced by the award-winning team of Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner and Rob Sitch. Cyber-attacks and an embarrassing UNESCO report. Rural road construction held up by a problematic statue. Billion dollars projects announced without a business case or cost-benefit study. Tony Woodford and his loyal staff are forced to deal with project management teams interested only in talking points. In a room below his house in 1980s Brisbane, Eli Bell answers a red telephone and begins a journey that will break his heart before rebuilding it. The fifth season of the award-winning series sees the beleaguered staff of the Nation Building Authority still trying to get the job done in the face of endless backflips, government interference and ever-shifting priorities. A fateful decision in 1960s China echoes across space and time to a group of scientists in the present, forcing them to face humanity's greatest threat. It’s a tribute to those political leaders who have somehow managed to take long-term vision and use it for short-term gain. Utopia explores that moment when bureaucracy and grand dreams collide. The eagerly-awaited series heads back to the offices of the Nation Building Authority, a federal government organisation responsible for overseeing major infrastructure projects. Returning cast Rob Sitch include Celia Pacquola, Dave Lawson, Dilruk Jayasinha, Kitty Flanagan, Anthony Lehmann, Emma-Louise Wilson, Nina Oyama, Jamie Robertson, Mike McLeish and Rebecca Massey. Season 5 of Utopia will premiere on ABC in early June, moving to an 8pm slot in place of Hard Quiz.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |