Without Anyone Knowing – Til Now

I will have to start by saying - this was not the film that I thought I was going to make. I have always been of the opinion that a film shouldn't advocate and shouldn't make conclusions. My inspiration for making film is grown from the curiosity to know about human life in this world and to create interesting and thought-provoking entertainment for people to enjoy and experience, but that were never issue driven. In the case of Yodok Stories, I realized for the first time in my life that I wanted to do this to promote change and provoke dialog with audiences and communities to take action. This was a completely new concept for me as a filmmaker.

The sheer subject matter and painful stories of the characters in Yodok Stories were above and beyond any experiences I had heard about in my entire life. My creative foundation has relied on satire, humor and warmth, but these stories took me to places so dark that there was simply no humor to be found. During the process of making this film, my own spirit felt muted, and I really had to struggle to survive the suffering that was presented in front of me. Many times I just wanted to give up, but in the end I had no choice - it had to be done! I felt a true obligation and responsibility to tell this story to the world.

I had, ever since I made The Parade, a film about the enormous celebration of the 40th anniversary of Democratic People's Republic of Korea, wanted to go back to share the untold stories beyond the advertised lavish and extravagant parades and celebrations. I wanted to show the other side - the people's side - where poverty, suffering and concentration camps are a reality, but that nobody knows about.

Of course I knew, when I embarked on this journey, that I would meet serious creative and logistical challenges, simply because of the severe restrictions imposed by the government. You can't just walk into North Korea and start filming. How was I going to make a film where I couldn't bring a camera? How could I make the stories come alive visually and cinematically without getting permission to enter the country? How does one come to terms with hearing stories so painful and be able to present them in a worthy manner? Where was I going to start?

We were constantly afraid during the making of the film and the musical. Not for ourselves, but for the families of the defectors around whom we based the story. One wrong comment or turn could put a person in great danger and subject to imprisonment, torture or death. But the defectors participating were so determined to create the musical and to continue filming that we, of course, had to keep going. I was terrified to be the reason for one more life ruined, raped and tortured in a camp. We also met a lot of pressure and threats along the way, challenges of financiers pulling out after reading the script, etc. Jung Sun San even put up his own kidney as collateral at one point in order to keep going with the production. It was supposedly worth about $20,000.00.

The initial reaction by people who see the film is complete silence, then, "I had no idea that was going on in North Korea!" and, "How can this go on today without anyone knowing?" These are the reasons why I made this film, to show that there are still places today that are closed to the rest of the world and where those in power get away with extreme violations to human rights. The restriction held within this country is so extreme that there is no communication, no international news or TV, no incoming media to represent it to the outside world. North Korea is like a place God forgot about.

My hopes are that this film will reach millions of viewers, and it will be used as a tool to bring about change that can make a difference for the people in North Korea. -MPM

Director and co-writer Andrzej Fidyk

Yodok Stories
North Korean Great Leader Kim Il Sung ordered the seed of class enemies destroyed to the third generation. Anyone in a family with a "criminal" is considered guilty by association. Entire families are sent to labor camps with life sentences, and without court hearings. Today, more than 200,000 are imprisoned, subject to the worst kinds of slave labor and torture.

Yodok Stories follows 36-year-old North Korean defector Jung Sung San, who has managed to escape through China to South Korea. Jung organizes a controversial theatre play about his experiences as a prisoner in the concentration camp Yodok in North Korea. He inspires eight other refugees to recreate the past and, despite death threats and many obstacles, the musical becomes a tour de force for this ensemble of refugees.

Yodok Stories leads us close to the refugees; we participate in their private lives and we listen to their dramatic stories. Their lives in Seoul are affected by financial difficulties and hostile South Koreans with a negative view on North Korea after years of propaganda.

Yodok Stories is their only chance to get their story told.

See MPM's movie review.
Images courtesy of the filmmaker.