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Poster for Under the Sun

Under the Sun

Seen it?

2015 | 110 min | Documentary

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office flop and almost no lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for the curious. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Eye-opening.
The pace
Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 50 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in German, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Over the course of one year, this film follows the life of an ordinary Pyongyang family whose daughter was chosen to take part in Day of the Shining Star (Kim Jong-il's birthday) celebration. While North Korean government wanted a propaganda film, the director kept on filming between the scripted scenes. The ritualized explosions of color and joy contrast sharply with pale everyday reality, which is not particularly terrible, but rather quite surreal.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 81 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.2 out of 10

  • AwardsBelow par

    2 wins and 0 nominations from smaller awards and festivals

  • Box office & staying powerWeak

    $105K worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 28K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Vitaly Mansky

  • Lee Zin-miHerself
  • Yu-yongHerself
  • Hye-yongHerself
  • Oh-gyongHerself
  • Lim Soo-yongHerself
  • Choi Song-minHerself
  • Su-yongHerself
  • Kim Jong-unHimself