{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = Kimjongilia | image = | alt = | caption = | native_name = <!--(for non-English films: film's name in its native language)--> | director = N.C. Heikin | producer = <!-- or: |producers = --> | writer = N.C. Heikin | screenplay = | story = | based_on = <!-- {{based on|title of the original work|writer of the original work}} --> | starring = | narrator = <!-- or: |narrators = --> | music = | cinematography = | editing = | studio = <!-- or: |production_companies = --> | distributor = <!-- or: |distributors = --> | released = {{film date|2009|01}} | runtime = 75 minutes | country = United States | language = | budget = | gross = <!--(please use condensed and rounded values, e.g. "£11.6 million" not "£11,586,221")--> }} '''''Kimjongilia''''' ({{Korean|김정일리아}}) is a documentary film directed by N.C. Heikin that tells the stories of North Korean prison camp survivors and escapees from the country. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January 2009.<ref>[http://festival.sundance.org/2009/film_events/films/kimjongilia Sundance webpage]</ref><ref name="doc q&a">{{cite web|url=http://www.documentary.org/content/meet-filmmakers-nc-heikin-kimjongilia|title=Meet the Filmmakers: NC Heikin--'Kimjongilia'|last=White |first=Thomas|work=Documentary|publisher=International Documentary Association|accessdate=30 January 2010|location=Los Angeles}}</ref>
==Contents== Life in North Korea is examined through interviews with North Korean defectors. Included are stories from people who served time in North Korean prisons, former military officers, and artists, among others.
The title is a reference to a variety of flower named after North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
==Reception== The film had only a limited theatrical run and received mixed reviews. Reviewers acknowledged the importance of Heikin's subject, but found her juxtaposition of shocking narratives with interpretive dances distracting.<ref>Atkinson, Michael (March 16, 2010) "Kimjongilia Addresses the Mess that Is North Korea" ''Village Voice''</ref><ref>Schenker, Andrew (March 15, 2010) "Review: Kimjongilia" ''Slant''</ref>
Metacritic, gave the film a weighted average of 44/100, based on only four reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kimjongilia |work=Metacritic |access-date=7 November 2021 |url= https://www.metacritic.com/movie/kimjongilia }}</ref> Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 60% rating out of 10 reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kimjongilia |work=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=7 November 2021 |url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kimjongilia }}</ref>
==See also== * Kimjongilia
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{official website|http://www.kimjongiliathemovie.com/}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100918005949/http://kimjongilia.myfilmblog.com/ N.C. Heikin Blog] * {{IMDb title|1180311}}
{{North Korean defectors in popular media}}{{North Korean defectors}}
Category:2009 films Category:American documentary films Category:Documentary films about human rights Category:Human rights abuses in North Korea Category:Documentary films about detention in North Korea Category:2009 American films
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