Little Pyongyang

Length: 24 mins

Languages: Korean, English (subtitles)

A tale of one North Korean’s struggle to leave behind the homeland, Joong-wha Choi, a former soldier in the DPRK, lives today with his wife and kids in a sleepy London suburb.  Despite enjoying the new found comforts of his British life, and being emancipated from the pressures of the North Korean state, his dilemma lies in a desire to return to the land that betrayed him, but is undoubtedly his true home. The film tracks his reflections on both why he left North Korea and the state of his day to day life over the course of several months, in what is ultimately a portrait of loss, longing, and the complexities of healing from trauma.

With exclusive access to one of the world’s largest community on North Korean defectors, Joong-wha’s story extends to the community he lives alongside. At a time when the world is wrapped up in the exchanges of pomp and bravado between two theatrical but powerful world leaders, we recognise the North Korean defectors on Britain’s doorstep, and follow Joong-wha as he considers his mission to seek change for North Korea.

Director: Roxy Rezvany

Production Company: Besheh Meesheh Films (fka Roxy Rezvany Films)

Producers: Roxy Rezvany, Matt Diegan, Aya Kaido

Commissioned by: The Guardian & Docsville

Executive Producers: Charlie Phillips, Lindsay Poulton, Nick Fraser, Lawrence Elman

Director of Photography: Beatriz Sastre

Production Designer: Kat Hawker

Set Designer: Louis Gibson

Editor: Christian Sandino-Taylor

Additional Editor: Ross Leppard

Assistant/Online Editor: Nathan Baker

Composer: Matt Huxley

Colourist: Tim Smith (Electric Theatre Collective)