Comrade Kim Goes Flying

Model worker dreams of life as a trapeze artist. The indestructibly cheerful social-realist melodrama and classically lit, colourful mise-en-scène are typically North Korean. Made with love and perseverance by a Belgian, British, North Korean directing trio.

A heroine strives to realise her dream, is thwarted by a haughty co-star but perseveres and is finally successful. It sounds like a standard recipe for a fairytale in the Hollywood mould. But this film comes from North Korea and adopts the form of cheerful melodramatic propaganda from the Stalinist utopia. The heroine in question is Kim Yong-Mi. She’s a miner but, despite her fear of heights, wants to be a trapeze artist. She is scorned by the circus star Pak Jang-Phil. Aiming to perform at the workers’ festival, Kim perseveres with her training, wins the heart of her co-star and finally shines in the ring.

“Although at first sight it is traditional, by North Korean standards “Comrade Kim Goes Flying” is quite unconventional. The protagonist is not a macho folk hero, but a woman, while party and state play a secondary role. It can’t be called subversive, but it is a new sound from the most isolated country in the world.” – Rotterdam FF

Belgium, UK, North Korea 2012