The free world has its own definition of freedom and self-expression. And in their free time they reminisce about the plight of other countries which have not been as fortunate. One of the foremost countries which adorn this list is North Korea.
“A Postcard from Pyongyang” is screening at Florence Korean Film Festival 2020
Two Germans go to North Korea as tourists and secretly capture their visit on film. Unable to fathom what they see and experience, they come back a few years later and shoot some more. The tourist sees nothing of the third world he expects to see and on the contrary is exposed to countrymen passionately devoted to the country and its leadership. The city through devoid of traffic, looks orderly and peaceful. A good mix of North Koreans are represented. They talk about their capable leadership, able to defeat the powerful America. And yet, there are some who acknowledge that it is capitalism (though evil) which has helped South Korea become a more developed country. Gregor Möllers and Anne Lewald have a lot of courage and tact to have accomplished this narrative.
Tourists are not allowed to speak to the locals and thus it is difficult to judge whether the government representatives are expressing their real opinions or that which the state wants them to. The leaders Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-il are talked about in high regard. The unavoidable covert camera angles prevent the capture of many facial expressions which would have been valuable additions. The nudges from the state visible to a tourist have been included beautifully. The background music with flute in the lead was a nice addition to the travelogue.
With just two hotels for tourists, these are really fresh eyes into a secretive regime. It may end up looking funny for the people outside the border and though it is only happy faces that are shown, an element of underlying sadness does leave its traces behind.
