Under the Sun

This documentary offers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the filmmaking process itself. The film chronicles the creation of a Soviet-style propaganda documentary about a family in North Korea. As the film progresses, the subjects, a real North Korean family, begin to understand the manipulative nature of the film they are participating in, and the artificiality of their own lives under the regime becomes starkly apparent.

Under the Sun received widespread critical acclaim for its innovative approach to documentary filmmaking and its powerful, albeit subtle, critique of totalitarian regimes. Critics lauded its ability to expose the manufactured reality presented by propaganda by showing the filmmaking process itself. Audiences were also drawn to its unique perspective and the emotional impact of witnessing the subjects' dawning awareness.

• A meta-documentary that cleverly reveals the artificiality of propaganda by showing its construction.

• The film's true power lies in its subversion, highlighting the oppressive reality of North Korea through the lens of filmmaking.

• An insightful and often uncomfortable examination of state-controlled narratives and individual lives.

Google audience: Viewers praised the film's unique concept and its ability to expose the manipulative nature of propaganda. Many were struck by the emotional impact of seeing the subjects grapple with the artificiality of their situation and the film being made about them. The documentary's intelligence and its critical commentary on totalitarianism were frequently highlighted as strengths.

Won awards at various film festivals including the Audience Award at the Göteborg Film Festival and the Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema Documentary Competition).

The North Korean authorities dictated every aspect of the film's production, including what the family could eat, wear, and say, and even provided actors to play the roles of 'officials' the family interacted with.