Dutch filmmaker Pieter Fleury, with the full permission and cooperation of the North Korean government, created this propaganda film that gives us a glimpse of a day in the life of one of the world’s most enigmatic societies. If the cityscapes and patriotic anthems of this film seem a far cry from the bleak landscape of Seoul Train, that’s no accident. Largely dictated by the North Korean film bureau, A Day in the Life follows the family of Hong Sun Hui, a female worker in a textile factory, through their daily duties, largely dedicated to the pride in the North Korean nation of comrades and the glory of General Kim Jong Il. The film is meant to extol the success of modern North Korea. But does it? With straight footage and a total absence of narration, viewers may interpret Fleury’s film in a slightly different manner than intended.

Pieter Fleury was born in 1955 and graduated from the Dutch Film Academy in 1978. Since then, he has made over 50 films, including the shorts A Leap by Six Frogs (1992) and Dialogue with Violence (1994) and many documentaries, including The Invisible Truth (2000) and Ramses (2002), winner of Best Long Documentary at the Dutch Film Festival 2002.

Producers: Pieter Fleury Cinematographer: Sander Snoep Editor: Michiel Reichwein
Music: Philip Glass

Note: North Korea will be shown with God Wears My Underwear