Pyongyang Diaries (1998)

This documentary records Hoaas' personal encounter with the closed society of North Korea. As with her earlier work, Hoaas approaches her film as a cumulation of fragments encompassing different perspectives that together offer a point of entry into a complex society. Her diary-style narration signals her limited personal perspective into this culture, especially given the brief filming period and her difficulty in breaking through the facade of the showcase version of Korea insisted upon by her official guides. Hoaas' restricted visual access, and her reluctance to present over-familiar images of the hardship and depravation informed her decision to use this narrative device to frame her film within the context of the famine crisis that began in 1997 following the failure of crops caused by two consecutive years of heavy flooding.

Director: Solrun Hoaas
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 70 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: Elena Kats-Chernin
Cinematography: Solrun Hoaas
Editing: Anne Carter
Production: Goshu Films, Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, Ronin Films, Australian Film Commission
Country: Australia
Language: English
Original Language: en

Keywords

woman director

More Films by Director: Solrun Hoaas
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pyongyang Diaries about?
This documentary records Hoaas' personal encounter with the closed society of North Korea. As with her earlier work, Hoaas approaches her film as a cumulation of fragments encompassing different perspectives that together offer a point of entry into a complex society. Her diary-style narration signals her limited personal perspective into this culture, especially given the brief filming period and her difficulty in breaking through the facade of the showcase version of Korea insisted upon by her official guides. Hoaas' restricted visual access, and her reluctance to present over-familiar images of the hardship and depravation informed her decision to use this narrative device to frame her film within the context of the famine crisis that began in 1997 following the failure of crops caused by two consecutive years of heavy flooding.
Who directed Pyongyang Diaries?
Pyongyang Diaries was directed by Solrun Hoaas.
Who stars in Pyongyang Diaries?
Pyongyang Diaries stars Solrun Hoaas.
How long is Pyongyang Diaries?
Pyongyang Diaries has a runtime of 1h 10m (70 minutes).
What genre is Pyongyang Diaries?
Pyongyang Diaries is a Documentary film.
Where was Pyongyang Diaries produced?
Pyongyang Diaries was produced in Australia.