North Korea: The Parade
North Korea: The Parade
| 01 May 1989 (USA)
North Korea: The Parade Trailers

Defilada was made on the occasion of the 40th anniversary celebrations of state's founding in North Korea, which the regime intended to use to eclipse the 1988 Summer Olympics taking place that year in Seoul, South Korea. The North Korean regime invited filmmakers from countries then considered friendly (read: Communist), including People's Republic of Poland, which sent a team under Andrzej Fidyk. The documentary is primarily composed of declarative statements, as well as texts of North Korean newspapers and books. There was no author's commentary. Fidyk commented that he and his team were likely “the most disciplined” foreign team of filmmakers in North Korea, as they did not trouble the regime by looking under the surface - they were content with what they were given and asked to do. (Wikipedia)

Reviews
lcxor

A very good example of (so called) Polish school of documentary. Andrzej Fidyk is showing how intense cult of personality could be. Background of the story is 40th anniversary of proclamation of Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Movie focuses on Kim Ir Sen's memorials, monuments dedicated to him, and, of course, on a splendid parade dedicated to his great person.The movie itself is almost clinical, camera takes clean, long shots with a bit of something I would call inhuman look. Watching this movie is like peeping on alien civilization, so different from the Western standards. Narration consist only of quotes from Korean books and newspapers and is full of such pearls like "our beloved leader" and "his knowledge enlightened us". There is no external commentary on presented facts, what gives the feeling like watching National Geographic documents on coral reef.For a Polish viewer - a cult classic. For Westerners - a perfect vision about communist propaganda and cult of personality. Definitely a must see for everyone interested in this subject. Unfortunately, copies of this document are practically unable to find.

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