The Juche Idea
Directed by Jim Finn
The Juche Idea
Kim Sung
Daniela Kostova
Jung Yoon Lee
Directed by Jim Finn
Jim Finn's The Juche Idea is an uproarious and provocative deconstruction of North Korean propaganda and philosophy. Mixing together eye-popping archival footage with deadpan re-enactments, Finn has created a complex docu-fiction that is equally thought-provoking and entertaining. Translated as self-reliance, Juche (CHOO-chay) is a hybrid of Confucian and Stalinist thought that Kim Jong-il adapted from his father and applied to the entire culture. In The Juche Idea, a sympathetic South Korean filmmaker visits a North Korean artists' colony to bring Juche ideas into the 21st century. She ends up producing hilariously stilted shorts, including a nonsensical sci-fi story and the enigmatic "Dentures of Imperialism."
Inspired by the true story of how a South Korean director was kidnapped in the 70s to invigorate the North's movie industry, The Juche Idea is both sardonic satire and historical excavation, an exuberant collage that reveals the absurdity at the heart of Kim-Jong-il's regime.
Reviews
"Like a Saturday Night Live sketch devoted to Kim Jong-il." - Mike Hale, The New York Times
"Steeped in the obsolete language of revolutionary art, Mr. Finn's meticulous, deadpan mockumentaries often play like unearthed artifacts from an alternate universe." - Dennis Lim, THE NEW YORK TIMES
"The evidence that current filmmaking is brimming with original, standard-breaking creations has to include the work of Jim Finn, whose brilliant 'The Juche Idea'... effectively completes a trilogy of ultra-compact features that boldly upturn notions of documentary and fiction, propaganda thought, reality and restaging, and even what an 'experimental film' actually is. To say that these films open up new possibilities for satire, ideas and language isn't an overstatement." - Robert Koehler, VARIETY
Awards
WINNER: Best Narrative Feature, Chicago Underground Film Festival 2008
CLOSING NIGHT FILM: New York Underground Film Festival 2008
HONORABLE MENTION: Ann Arbor Film Festival 2008
OFFICIAL SELECTION: Vancouver International 2008
OFFICIAL SELECTION: Edinburgh 2008
Interested in bringing The Juche Idea to your school or library? If you'd like to have an in-class viewing, on-campus screening, or purchase the DVD for your library's collection, please contact Estelle Grosso at EDU@kinolorber.com or call (212) 629-6880 with your request.
The Juche Idea may also be available with Public Performance Rights (PPR) and Digital Site Licensing (DSL) for colleges and universities. To purchase the DVD with PPR or DSL, please contact Estelle Grosso at EDU@kinolorber.com or call (212) 629-6880. Click here to learn more at Kino Lorber Edu.
To read more about Kino Lorber Edu's terms of use and ordering information, visit Kino Lorber Edu.
RT' @swen_ryan': BACURAU: Navigates a tricky and rewarding balance of rendering the lived-in rhythms of a community and the sharp, brutal act…
@magshenny' @FilmForumNYC'' @mspfilmsociety' We've got two women-directed films on there via' @zeitgeistfilms' – The Woma…' https://t.co/Rxo0kA8btq'
RT' @letterboxd': Help us support art house cinemas by renting these new, recent and re-released films, including Bacurau,' @atwdfilm' and more…
RT' @REMEZCLA': 'Bacurau' opened in theaters when the Coronavirus pandemic took hold, now it's pioneering a new online release.' https://t.co…'
Just over one day left to enter. We're picking five winners!' https://t.co/JRE9SjL8yf'
Nadav Lapid's Golden Bear-winning film about an Israeli who moves to Paris to try to shed his identity, SYNONYMS is…' https://t.co/n16wPjGW6N'
RT' @KennethTuran': I feel funny doing this, but' @JustinCChang' has turned out such a gorgeously written piece on our time together at the L.A…
RT' @KennethTuran': The moment has come. In this, my last piece as full time L.A. Times film critic, I offer 14 films I can count on to keep…
Thank you' @KennethTuran' for the kind words and all you've done to champion art house cinema over the years!' https://t.co/kt26CqIUBx'
RT' @WeAreBreaker': Breaker Binge Sale #2:' @TheCrownNetflix' director' @schwochberg' shot spell-binding season 1 ($5.99) of' @KinoLorber's' BAD BA…
General Inquiries
333 W. 39th St., Ste. 503
New York, NY 10018
Tel. (800) 562-3330
Fax. (212) 714-0871
Press & Media
For publicity assistance and press inquiries please contact us by emailing dninh@kinolorber.com or calling 212-629-6880.
Educational
Please visit our educational site at www.KinoLorberEDU.com
For assistance with educational orders, please contact us at:
Phone:212-629-6880
Fax: 212-714-0871
Email: edu@kinolorber.com
