This is the story of the last American defector in North Korea, James Joseph Dresnok. Third party web links are provided for your convenience only. Read more Directors Kaye Harrison, Rod Freedman Supplier Ronin Films Beyond straight-up murder stories, investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps . The series follows individuals who seek abortion services and the heroes who help along the way. 1. After arriving at the Mornington Island Community Hospital, life expands for the two students. Project-specific support provided by Screen Australia's development programs since the agency's inception in July 2008. ***This series and episode is under license from TVF. Throughout their eight-week placement in this remote Read all. The existence of an American defector living in the . At the height of the Cold War, this unlikely band of brothers crossed the most heavily fortified area on earth and defected to DPRK. We see Dresnok's home in Richmond, Virginia, as well as a fellow defector's reunion with his wife in Indonesia. Add to that the truly unique saga of Dresnok and you have a potent cocktail. +86 10 6416 7544 The film elicits a wide range of responses about the thorny issues of 'crossing the line' in a medical professional sense. Each episode allows the listener to experience the numerous barriers faced and the ways people . accepted. By what name was Crossing the Line (2006) officially released in Canada in English? Now, the American defector's astonishing story is being told for the first time in a documentary called Crossing The Line. CROSSING THE LINE follows the journeys of two young medical students, Amy and Paul, who leave their safe middle class homes and university behind to be thrust into the harsh reality of everyday life on Mornington Island. North Korea as a setting offers artists so much enigma and drama because the country itself is larger than life. Amy McCormack (medical student) and Louise Roughsey, Silhouette of youth on street (photo: Paul Joffe), Hector Thomas and Paul Joffe (medical student). From the director of A STATE OF MIND. It could simultaneously be a feature-length profile of one man, an investigation of how North Korea treated four prized defectors, and a snapshot of a feud between two men who have been through too much but tell us too little. For our First Nations communities, January 26th marks the beginning of a long and painful process of colonisation, genocide, and erasure of Indigenous peoples, languages, and culture. CROSSING THE LINE (CTLpod) is a verite' style audio documentary series telling stories from the frontlines in the fight for reproductive freedom. present, BBC, E Pictures, Koryo Tours, IFG2, Its a story of defection, kidnap, love, and political intrigue, all set and captured in the most secret and inaccessible country on earth: North Korea. About The Documentary. Conceptually, Crossing the Line is a huge jump from Gordon's previous North Korean works. The film was the winner of the prize for Best Documentary about Social and Political Issues at the 2005 ATOM (Australian Teachers of Media) Awards . Like most Australians, they have never been exposed to life in a remote indigenous community. Crossing the Line is the final installment in director Daniel Gordon's trilogy of films shot inside North Korea. CROSSING THE LINE continues to play a role in raising awareness amongst engaged students and health professionals. Fisherman: Where does the twenty-two year old go? Like most Australians, they have never been exposed to life in a remote Indigenous community. Awakening the minds and sensitivities of future doctors to the needs and wishes of Aboriginal people makes sense if there is to be participation of each in the others future. The film is about a former U.S. Army soldier, James J. Dresnok, who defected to North Korea on 15 August 1962. Kaye Harrison (director). Crossing the line is a 1-hour video that charts the paths of two Tasmanian medical students, Amy and Paul, during an 8-week placement on Mornington Island in north-west Queensland. None of the men had any idea what awaited them on the other side. Until then, however, we have Gordon's engaging if overwrought effort to tide us over. Classification: Exempt - Ronin Recommends: G, Proceed with ordering this titleand for pricing information . Do not cross the line - if you do then in the editing suite your editor will be cutting to avoid your errors, rather than cutting to maximise your drama. Undercover, a three part documentary series, explores the human cost of the controversial New Zealand Police Undercover Programme, as told by former agents. My motivation for making the documentary CROSSING THE LINE was a desire to make the issues surrounding Indigenous health accessible to a broad mainstream audience. Like most Australians, they have never been exposed to li 'Crossing the Line' follows the journeys of two young medical students, Amy and Paul, who leave their safe middle class homes and university behind to be thrust into the harsh reality of everyday life on Mornington Island. In the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, four US soldiers defected to North Korea. However. The highest compliment I can pay Crossing the Line is that it serves as a vital journal of an important time in recent North Korean affairsand that the production of this documentary would make for a highly intriguing feature film one day. Please help us to simplify your shopping experience by customising your user settings here: Due to contractual obligations, some films may not be available in your territory. 'Crossing the Line' follows the journeys of two young medical students, Amy and Paul, who leave their safe middle class homes and university behind to be thrust into the harsh reality of everyday life on Mornington Island. Dresnok remains in North Korea and lives with his family in the capital city, Pyongyang, and has not had contact with outsiders since his defection in 1962. This style represents a step down for Gordon, whose camera in A State of Mind was patient and unobtrusive. Includes investments, loans and grants. A British documentary about US Army defector James Dresnok currently living in North Korea after having defected during the 60s. For nearly 40 years their life was. Request an update here. Documentary. Jenkins now lives in Japan with his wife and daughters. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Anna Broinowski, goes to North Korea to meet the masters of propaganda filmmaking. Your Email (required) Cinequanon and Dongsoong Art Center, Executive Producers: Amy and Paul come across as delightful young people. A British documentary about US Army defector James Dresnok currently living in North Korea after having defected during the 60s. This film looks back on the life of Dresnok in North Korea and his importance within that regime. It was directed and produced by British filmmakers Daniel Gordon and Nicholas Bonner, and was shown at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. He is one of only six American soldiers ever to have voluntarily turned themselves over to the Communist regime after the Korean War, and, today, the last one remaining inside. See production, box office & company info, Solid documentary that is interesting despite the limited appeal of the material. Dresnok is shown with fellow defectors, including Charles Robert Jenkins, who returned to Japan to be with his wife, Hitomi Soga (a victim of kidnapping by the North Koreans), while filming was taking place. Subject Since its broadcast on the ABC some 8 years ago it is apparent that the documentary has also been very useful as an educational resource. In conclusion. January 16, 2017. Your Name (required) He is further criticised for interviewing community members without a health professional being present to supervise him and without ethical clearance. There is an ongoing tension between their personal experience with the community and the professional distance they are told they need to maintain in order to practice professionally. Released in 2008, Gordon's Crossing the Line addresses the same subject from a very different point of view: that of one James Joseph Dresnok, a U.S. Army private who, while stationed in the Demilitarized Zone that separates that country from its neighbor to the south in 1962, abruptly decided to defect. This became a major international scandal at the time, its tentacles even reaching out to ensnare then-President George Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Its fraught history is explained well in the film when it chronicles the Korean War and the societal perception of the United States. Bridging the Gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy remains a key issue across Australia. This was justified not just because these peeks could be accommodated in the plot, but also because outside audiences had genuinely never seen life depicted that way in, arguably, the world's most isolated country. Think all things true crimefrom an insider's perspective. ***This series and episode is under license from TVF. They despaired at the offensive lack of attention given to the communitys wishes and at what they perceived to be an element of voyeurism in the placements themselves. Throughout their 8-week placement in this remote Indigenous community, Amy and Paul move beyond their professional roles to make personal connections with some of the locals. [Dresnok and a friend converse while fishing]. No-one knew why they did it. Only one remains in DPRK. It's a strange and fascinating tale, all . After several weeks, Paul encounters a young girl who is brandishing a rope, threatening suicide. General Rules on Crossing the Line a. Dresnok keeps talking about three other soldiers who defected after him, and their lives in North Korea. Until then I am hopeful the documentary continues to make a valuable educational contribution. CROSSING THE LINE follows the journeys of two young medical students, Amy and Paul, who leave their safe middle class homes and university behind to be thrust into the harsh reality of everyday life on Mornington Island. The plot is laid out in roughly fifteen-minute chunks: easy divisions to insert breaks for advertisements, I suspect. A "Girl Power" Film. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. DON'T MISS IT." What no one knew at that time, except for the filmmakers, was that a second American defector, James Joseph Dresnok, was alive. The world knows of only one of these men: Charles Robert Jenkins. Without seeming to consult the community, Paul and Amys supervisors in Mt Isa pull them out for debriefing a week early almost before they can say goodbye to the people they have come to know and begun to love because they have become too involved. . [5][6][7][8], Robert Willoughby The Bradt Travel Guide: North Korea 2008, page 39 "In a further twist, they found film fame with roles in DPRK films vilifying the US, with Dresnok typecast as an evil American and making firm friends with several North Korean film stars who appear in Crossing the Line and discussed the ", Justin Corfield, Historical Dictionary of Pyongyang 2013, page 43 "After Doina died of lung cancer, Dresnok married the daughter of a Togolese diplomat and a North Korean woman, and had a son. CROSSING THE LINE follows the journeys of two young medical students, Amy and Paul, who leave their safe middle class homes and university behind to be thrust into the harsh reality of everyday life on Mornington Island. All Rights Reserved. Films. Fisherman: If you only have sons, they must get into a lot of mischief. A State of Mind occasionally relied on the voyeuristic pleasure derived from glimpses of everyday life in Pyongyang. It would address reculturation and the rejuvenation of Aboriginal identities. Brought to you by the team behind the #1 true-crime podcast franchise Paper Ghosts, Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps is an ongoing, weekly podcast diving deeply into murder, missing people and unsolved, cold case cases rarely covered. By Matt Zoller Seitz. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); If you would rather just drop us an email please send to Simon@koryogroup.com, If ordering please let us know the SET or PORTRAIT number and size you require, thank you. c. Throughout their eight-week placement in this remote See production, box office & company info, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). For instance. contact@pulitzercenter.org, Humanizing the Hermit Kingdom: Leisure in North Korea, Stories by Campus Consortium Reporting Fellows, Deep Dives: Ocean and Fisheries Reporting, Underreported Stories in Sub-Saharan Africa, Science Misinformation: Journalism in the Age of Truth Decay, Bringing Stories Home: Local Reporting Grants, COVID-19, Vaccines, and Global Health Inequities, OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAMPUS CONSORTIUM MEMBERS, In North Korea, an International Film Festival Where Self-Reliance Is the Star, Pizzas, Pony Rides and Dolphin Shows: Balms for North Koreas Elite. One of four American defectors who crossed over to the hard line communist North during the 1960s, Dresnok has lived in the North Korean capital Pyongyang ever since, and has not been seen by the outside world for 44 years. He is a key part of the story but as much of it is now in the public domain, it is Dresnok who is the driving force of the film. Teaching English at Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies, he was the subject of the film Crossing the Line ", Last edited on 15 December 2022, at 00:20. Beijing, China The background score is also prone to slight sensationalism, which is disappointing considering the maturity displayed in the same aspect by Gordon earlier. Crossing the Line lacks the clean through-line that A State of Mind was born with, but its sprawl is part of its appeal. Moreover the movie launched, because it is a success. Story He then simply disappeared from the face of the known world. Where does the responsibility for the drug abuse and psychological trauma among undercover agents lie? 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CROSSING THE LINE is now available on DVDFind out more about Koryo Tours on our website and social media:Website | https://koryogroup.com/Blog | https://koryogroup.com/blogFacebook | https://www.facebook.com/koryotours/Instagram | koryotours (https://www.instagram.com/koryotours)Twitter | @koryotours (https://twitter.com/KoryoTours) Dan Gordon (Director/Producer) Nicholas Bonner (Co-Producer). 'Crossing the Line' follows the journeys of two young medical students, Amy and Paul, who leave their safe middle class homes and university behind to be thrust into the harsh reality of eve Read all'Crossing the Line' follows the journeys of two young medical students, Amy and Paul, who leave their safe middle class homes and university behind to be thrust into the harsh reality of everyday life on Mornington Island. - Sacha Molitorisz, TV Previews, The Sydney Morning Herald. It showed Dresnok in present-day in Pyongyang (where he lived to his death), interacting with his North Korean family and friends. A tale of struggle and success, the beauty of sport crossing cultural barriers. It is well known that North Korea would abduct citizens of other countries and force them to start families inside the country. Crossing the Line 2004 Documentary | 56mins | Completed When two young non-Indigenous medical students go to work in a remote Aboriginal community their professional precepts and personal ideas are deeply challenged. Crossing the Line, an alternate US title for the film The Big Man, by David Leland; Crossing the Line, an alternate UK title for the film Little Woods, by Nia DaCosta; Crossing the Line, a 2002 film by Graeme Clifford; Crossing the Line, a 2006 documentary by Daniel Gordon; Crossing the Line (2007 film), a 2007 documentary by Pietro Marcello; Crossing the Line, a 2008 short by Peter . This is by far the best portion of Crossing the Line, and it encapsulates how tough to categorize the film is. She also found two young medical students prepared to participate in the film. Two Aboriginal colleagues watched the video. He intervenes. Crossing The Line is the tragic yet uplifting story of athletics prodigy Danny Harris, and his battles with his demons on and off the track. Each man left his Southern border post in the demilitarised zone the DMZ, a 2.5 mile wide patch of land that splits the Korean peninsula in half and is the most heavily fortified area on earth, packed with 2.5m land minesand walked into an alien world. Secondly. Chaoyang District, The first Western interview with Comrade Joe, James Joseph Dresnok, an American soldier who defected to North Korea in 1962 and has embraced life in the secret state ever since. of publication, Information for librarians and institutions. 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