This film is part of Rentals
The Lovers & the Despot
Discover one of cinema’s strangest stories: a film director and his star are kidnapped by Kim Jong-il to make movies in the world’s weirdest state.
Director: Ross Adam and Rob Cannan
Overview
Discover one of cinema’s strangest stories: the true tale of a famous film director and his star muse, kidnapped by movie-obsessed dictator Kim Jong-il to make movies in the world’s weirdest state. Director Shin Sang-ok and actress Choi Eun-hee were the golden couple of South Korean cinema, linchpins of the movie business and happily married until their glamorous marriage collapsed. Then in the late 1970s, both disappeared within months of each other only to surface again years later in North Korea, charged with establishing a national cinema on behalf of Kim Jong-il.
Collated from hours of fascinating archive clips, audio recordings of Dear Leader Kim (recorded by the couple at great risk), and startling clips from some incredible Korean productions (including Shin’s notorious remake of Godzilla), The Lovers and the Despot is an utterly irresistible documentary structured as a Cold War thriller.
mild threat, references to abduction
Related
No Other Land No Other Land
Documentary 2024 92 mins Director: Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham
This powerful documentary from a Palestinian-Israeli collective might be one of the most important films of this year.
South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic
Documentary 1919 81 mins Silent Director: Frank Hurley
An extraordinary story of survival in the wastes of Antarctica.
The Ballymurphy Precedent The Ballymurphy Precedent
Documentary 2018 108 mins Director: Callum Macrae
John Pilger's film on the conflict in Northern Ireland is a skilful mix of investigative journalism, documentary storytelling and reflections on contemporary history.
Utopia Utopia
Documentary 2013 111 mins Director: John Pilger and Alan Lowery
John Pilger's portrayal of the oldest continuous human culture is also an investigation into a suppressed colonial past, and rapacious present.
The Coming War on China The Coming War on China
Documentary 2016 113 mins Director: John Pilger
John Pilger’s prescient 60th film for ITV is both a warning and an inspiring story of resistance.
Supersonic Supersonic
Documentary 2016 117 mins Director: Mat Whitecross
Relive the stratospheric rise of the kings of Britpop in this rousing nostalgic trip from the producers of Amy.
Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words
Documentary 2015 114 mins Director: Stig Björkman
An illuminating portrait of the pioneering actress, crafted from her unique personal archive of home-movie footage, letters and diary extracts.
A Fuller Life A Fuller Life
Documentary 2013 80 mins Director: Samantha Fuller
James Franco leads the eulogies in this profile of the larger-than-life filmmaker Samuel Fuller, who also had eventful stints as a journalist and serviceman.
Hitchcock/Truffaut Hitchcock/Truffaut
Documentary 2015 80 mins Director: Kent Jones
Kent Jones’ excellent documentary about a historic encounter between two cinema greats.
Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach
Documentary 2016 94 mins Director: Louise Osmond
Louise Osmond's funny, provocative and revealing account of the life and career of one of Britain’s most celebrated and controversial filmmakers.
Eisenstein in Guanajuato Eisenstein in Guanajuato
Biopic 2015 106 mins Director: Peter Greenaway
One of Britain’s most inventive filmmakers, Peter Greenaway, tackles the story of arguably the most influential filmmaker in cinema history, Sergei Eisenstein.
Lost in Karastan Lost in Karastan
Comedy 2016 96 mins Director: Ben Hopkins
In this smart filmmaking satire, Matthew Macfadyen plays as a hard-up British director who accepts a commission to make a film for a Central Asian dictator.
No Other Land No Other Land
Documentary 2024 92 mins Director: Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham
This powerful documentary from a Palestinian-Israeli collective might be one of the most important films of this year.
Small Things Like These Small Things Like These
Drama 2024 99 mins
Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy delivers a stunning performance as a coal merchant who discovers horrific secrets about his local convent.
Only the River Flows Only the River Flows
Crime 2023 102 mins Director: Shujun Wei
Shujun Wei's slow-burn noir draws us inexorably into its mysterious psychological journey.
The Critic The Critic
Period drama 2023 101 mins Director: Anand Tucker
Ian McKellen is in delicious form as London's most vicious critic, who strikes a Faustian pact with a struggling actor (Gemma Arterton).
Special People Special People
Comedy 2008 74 mins Director: Justin Edgar
Justin Edgar's pioneering feature comedy about a neurotic filmmaker enlisted to make a film with a class of wheelchair-users.
Timestalker Timestalker
Comedy 2024 89 mins Director: Alice Lowe
What if unrequited love spanned the centuries? Alice Lowe's time-jumping fantasy rom-com is a colourful, darkly funny treat.