N. Koreans head to cinema as nation holds 1st int’l film festival in 6 yrs
Source: The Mainichi
BEIJING (Kyodo) — North Korea is holding its international film festival for the first time in six years following a hiatus due to COVID-19, state-run media said Thursday, providing a rare opportunity for locals to see movies from overseas.
The six-day event, the 18th of its kind, kicked off Wednesday at the Pyongyang International Cinema House, with filmmakers and jury members attending. After an opening ceremony, participants watched a movie titled “Red Silk,” a Russian-Chinese joint production.
A Beijing-based travel agency involved in the festival said films from some 10 countries, including Indonesia, Morocco, Poland and Greece, were accepted to be shown at the event. Works included features, animations, shorts and documentaries.
No films from Japan, South Korea or the United States were among the movies set to be screened during the festival. In the past, Indian Bollywood films and “Mr. Bean’s Holiday,” a comedy starring British actor Rowan Atkinson, were featured in the Pyongyang event, according to Koryo Tours.
International travelers were offered a rare glimpse of Pyongyang in April when the North Korean capital held its first international marathon in about six years, with Koryo Tours saying amateur runners from around 45 countries applied to take part.
North Korea has accepted a small number of Russian and other tour groups since early 2024, but has yet to fully reopen to international tourists.
The original article: belongs to The Mainichi .