The Lovers and the Despot

Kidnapping, power-mad tyrants, glamorous film stars, exotic international spies, imprisoned lovers—this is the stuff from which epic and adrenalin-fueled thrillers are made. Except this one is real. Famed South Korean director, Shin Sang-ok, and his ex-wife and South Korea's most revered film actress, Choi Eun-hee, were kidnapped by North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il. Kim was desperate to raise the international esteem of his country's cinema, so he “invited” the two to make films there. The captive lovers knew their very lives depended on cooperating with Kim's plans. While trying to survive and find the means of escape, their estranged relationship healed. You just can't make these things up. Using a brilliant mixture of tape recordings, photographs, authentic propaganda footage, and clips from Shin's films to wittily illustrate the narrative, THE LOVERS AND THE DESPOT is a documentary unlike any other, with life imitating art imitating life. Plots this weird, world leaders this insane, love this sweeping, and international espionage this twisted can only exist in real life. (In English, Korean, and Japanese with subtitles) –C.R.