For those interested in a strange piece of asian film history, perhaps one of the most bizzare tales in film history, Magnolia will be distributing The Lovers and the Despot. The documentary directed by Rob Cannan and Ross Adams' follows the survival of South Korean director Shin Sang-ok and his ex-wife, actress Choi Eun-hee.
By orders of Kim Jong-il, Shin was kidnapped to make films for the future North Korean leader. The most popular of these propaganda imbued films was Pulgasari (1985), North Korea's Godzilla imitation. Special effects were directed by Teruyoshi Nakano (Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla [1974], The Return of Godzilla [1984]) and Heisei Godzilla series suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma played the monster. Pulgasari was the last film Shin Sang-ok made for North Korea before escaping to a United States embassy in Vienna.
The Lovers and Despot will cover the full scope of Shin's imprisonment with Choi Eun-hee. "Rob and Ross have captured a jaw-dropping, true-life story whose plot could have been pulled straight out of a Hollywood spy thriller. The Lovers and the Despot is a powerful, elegantly crafted film that needs to be seen to be believed," says Eamonn Bowles, President of Magnolia.
The film will be released later in 2016.
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Sources:
Indiewire
