Beyond Utopia

“Unforgiving, high-stakes and clear-eyed about the devastatingly brainwashing powers of elongated oppression, BEYOND UTOPIA will be talked about well into the awards season.” – Harper’s Bazaar

A suspenseful, riveting portrait of the lengths people will go to gain freedom, BEYOND UTOPIA follows various individuals as they attempt to flee North Korea, one of the most oppressive places on earth, a land they grew up believing was a paradise. At the film’s core is a courageous pastor, a man of God on a mission to help a mother reunite with the child she was forced to leave behind, and a family of five – including small children and an elderly grandmother – embarking on a treacherous journey into the hostile mountains of China and through southeast Asia. Leaving their homeland is fraught with unimaginable danger – yet these individuals are driven to take the risk. Gripping, thrilling, and never more timely, Madeleine Gavin’s award-winning film embeds the viewer with the subjects as they attempt their perilous escape, palpably conveying life-or-death stakes. The result is a singular, heart-pounding, and unforgettable experience.