Beyond Utopia

Beyond Utopia is a 2023 American documentary film directed by Madeleine Gavin. Debuted at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, the documentary largely centers around Pastor Seungeun Kim, a South Korean human rights activist and director of the Caleb Mission, which has rescued over 1,000 North Korean defectors since 2000. The film also shows amateur footage from inside the DPRK as well as interviews Hyeonseo Lee and other defectors.

Release
Beyond Utopia debuted at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023. The film was screened at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in the "Documentary Showcase" section on October 8, 2023. In the United States Roadside Attractions and Fathom Events acquired distribution rights and released the film on a two-day screening on October 23 and October 24, 2023. Independent Lens acquired broadcast television rights to the film, setting a January 9, 2024, broadcast.

Reception
Writing for /Film, Ben Pearson gave the film a score of 9 out of 10 and found the handheld footage to be "nothing short of extraordinary." Variety's Owen Gleiberman praised the film for showing audiences the "forgotten" tragedy of North Korea through its use of impressive first-hand camerawork. In a more mixed review, Daniel Fienberg, writing for The Hollywood Reporter, found the film to have an tension-filled and emotional story while following the defecting families, but derided the inclusion of a "dry and lifeless" history lesson on North Korea that didn't fit alongside the compelling first-hand accounts.