‘The Lovers and the Despot’ to open in Korea

The documentary film “The Lovers and the Despot,” which provides a glimpse into the late North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il’s regime, is coming to Korea.

Directed by British filmmakers Robert Cannan and Ross Adam, the documentary recounts the story of the high-profile kidnap of former top Korean actress Choi Eun-hee, and her ex-husband and late director Shin Sang-ok by North Korea in the late 1970s. It chronicles their personal and professional lives under Kim’s authoritative surveillance until their escape to Austria in 1986.

Promotional poster for documentary “The Lovers and the Despot” (Atnine Film)

Containing rare voice recordings of Kim and a first-person recollection of the events from Choi herself, the film has caught the attention of the international film industry. After making its world premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival in January, it was invited to screen at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival in Germany in February.

The 98-minute documentary is scheduled to open in theaters across Korea and the US in September.

By Kim Yu-young (ivykim@heraldcorp.com)