Produced in association with Korea Creative Content Agency, The Foundation Broadcast for Culture, RTBF, Chosun TV, NHK

Korea, orphan of the Cold War, remains a divided country. The North, still supported by Beijing, is run as a communist regime with Stalinist overtones. The South, heavily supported by Washington, is ruled as a Western-style democracy. In this rare collection of documentaries, engaged filmmakers share the experiences of North Korean defectors who have risked their lives and the loved ones they have left behind to escape their country. These films have been made thanks to the courage and determination of a number of thoughtful freedom fighters, supporting those who no longer would live within the framework of a deadlocked society and are intent on "crossing the line."

Titles Include:

Inside The DMZ: A High Stakes Game   (NEW)
For the very first time, a team of non-military observers has received authorization to enter the DMZ. As we accompany these scientists, researchers, writers and journalists, we make some unusual discoveries. But beyond the unexpected, the inquisitive approach of the civil observers reveals a potential disturbing situation. It is difficult to ascertain with certainty, but it seems that the military in charge of the DMZ on both sides are doing everything they can to keep the DMZ alive, and even promote its longevity. If this is true, how can peace be brought about? The stakes are high, and the regional alliances are a complex game of geopolitics. But maybe, just as in this journey of civilians inside the DMZ, a strong civil movement on both sides of the DMZ could be the solution.

Across Land, Across Sea: Defecting from North Korea
As is the case for an estimated 20,000 defectors who have built or are trying to build new lives in the South, Songgook is attempting to secure his entire family's freedom by arranging their defection. This phenomenon has been coined the "chain of escapes." His plan is a dangerous one; make a night time trek to the Tumen River, a border zone between China and North Korea and illegally smuggle his family out of China by boat into the international waters between China and Korea. It is in the safety of international waters where he plans to hand over his family to a South Korean registered boat. Once his family is safely transferred, Songgook plans to return to China where he will then legally re-enter South Korea by plane. Because of the extreme dangers associated with this journey, this kind of escape is very rare. This is the first ever to be documented on video.

Itinerary of A Rebel
In order to generate sufficient means for his wife left behind in North Korea to survive, Han accepts a job as a lumberjack in a camp situated in Siberia. The North Korean government in ruthless deals with Russian entrepreneurs offers willing citizens the opportunity to "work" in labor camps abroad. The wages are directly paid to the government who promise to pass the money on to the families left behind. When Han finds out that none of his wages have reached his wife he escapes and, in an epic journey, crosses the whole of Siberia. His destination is Moscow, where he plans to request refugee status in a Western embassy.

Human Traffic
On the border of China and North Korea, North Korean women are offered to Chinese brokers. They are sold on the human market to assure the subsistence of their remaining families. The stories of Mi-Jin, Hong-hi and Ji-young reveal the plight of trafficked North Korean women.

Seeking Haven
Youngsoon, 23 years old, is a North Korean girl now living in the south. In 2007, she and her sister Mihee lived in hiding in China. While Youngsoon managed to escape to South Korea, her sister was arrested by the Chinese authorities and repatriated to North Korea. Ever since, Youngsoon has been determined to arrange her sister's escape.