Beyond Utopia is a 2023 American documentary film directed by Madeleine Gavin. The film debuted at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
A suspenseful look at the lengths people will go to gain freedom, Beyond Utopia follows various individuals as they attempt to flee North Korea, one of the most oppressive places on Earth, a land they grew up believing was a paradise. At the film’s core are a mother desperate to reunite with the child she was forced to leave behind, a family of five — including small children and an elderly grandmother — embarking on a treacherous journey across the Yalu River and into the hostile mountains of China, and a man of God on a mission to help these desperate souls. Leaving their homeland is fraught with danger — severe punishment if caught and possibly even execution — as well as potential exploitation by unscrupulous brokers. Family members who remain behind also may face retribution. Yet these individuals are driven to take the risk.
In 2022 working with my team at Alterkind, we created a graphics package to compliment the film, inclusive of descriptive maps and a detailed timeline of events. We also consulted on workflow and worked in tandem with talented Japanese artist, Hirotoshi Iwasaki who created some beautiful hand-drawn charcoal sequences for the film.