CROSSING THE LINE is the third feature length documentary by VeryMuchSo Productions, the team that produced the RTS award-winning the game of their lives (four awards in total plus two Grierson nominations, one British Independent Film Awards nomination) and the acclaimed a state of mind (broadcast UK June 7th 2004 and . In 1962, the 20 year old PFC James Dresnok was serving in the demilitarised zone between North Korea and South Korea when he just headed across in the northern side of the border. He has now lived in North Korea twice as long as he has in America. Screen Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and recognises their continuous connection to culture, community and Country. The film is about a former U.S. Army soldier, James J. Dresnok, who defected to North Korea on 15 August 1962. A British documentary about US Army defector James Dresnok currently living in North Korea after having defected during the 60s. The folk of Mornington Island demonstrate a warm-hearted resilience in the face of their history, but to Amy it is appalling. Going to the cinema. Project-specific support provided by Screen Australia's development programs since the agency's inception in July 2008. At the same time, for Aboriginal communities to cross the line puts their cultural identity at risk. John Battsek, Richard Klein & Paul Yi, Formerly known as Pyongyang Art Studio, Koryo Studio is the first Western art gallery to commission and sell work by artists of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), or North Korea. This is by far the best portion of Crossing the Line, and it encapsulates how tough to categorize the film is. Beijing, China Consequently, filmmakers wishing to engage with it would have to be more sophisticated in their approach too. General Rules on Crossing the Line a. For nearly 40 years their life was hidden from the outside world.Not even the US government knew their fate. 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. Cinequanon and Dongsoong Art Center, Executive Producers: Now, after 45 years, the story of Comrade Joe, the last American defector in North Korea, is told. See production, box office & company info, Solid documentary that is interesting despite the limited appeal of the material. Jenkins now lives in Japan with his wife and daughters. These are tales from the criminal underworld as told by the people who lived it and living a lie among dangerous criminals is not for the faint-hearted!Undercover cops have provided material for countless movies and TV dramas, and their real stories are just as gripping. Secondly. Once in the outside world, Jenkins makes some revelations that attack much of what we know about Dresnok himself, whose reaction to these new details is fascinating. VeryMuchSo Productions / Chaoyang District, Extremely moving yet unsentimental, this film offers a rare insight into the practical realities of providing Western medical services to Indigenous communities and illustrates ways in which engagement can contribute to an improvement in the crisis in Aboriginal health today. It would address reculturation and the rejuvenation of Aboriginal identities. You They cannot avoid the experiences of the people served by the hospital. It is well known that North Korea would abduct citizens of other countries and force them to start families inside the country. Over the course of its ninety-minute runtime, Crossing the Line delves into the psyches of prisoners of war, the act of defection, and the process of assimilating into a society that prides itself on its homogeneity. These soldiers were married to women who were also of different nationalities, but how these women arrived in Pyongyang (or were made to arrive) is never clear. Video available from Ronin Films, phone (02) 62480851or All Rights Reserved. Their answers and the stories they tell will shock, surprise and inspire. Subscribe to get more Dark Crime content and hit the notification bell to see the freshly uploaded content. 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. Your support ensures great journalism and education on underreported and systemic global issues, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW It's a strange and fascinating tale, all . She also found two young medical students prepared to participate in the film. 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. Request an update here. Michael Palin travels to DPRK on the most revealing journey of my life". Dresnok grew up a poor orphan in Virginia, and never finished high school. 1h 34m. Like most Australians, they have never been exposed to life in a remote Indigenous community. Dresnok seemed hurt by Jenkins' allegations of physical abuse by Dresnok and the North Korean regime and angrily denied them. Read more Directors Kaye Harrison, Rod Freedman Supplier Ronin Films Kaye Harrison wrote, directed and co-produced the video for ABC-TV, which screened it earlier this year in two parts on the Indigenous program Message stick. However, it did. The spent cartridges of bright ideas litter the ground. He worked for the Korean Peoples Army as an English teacher, learned the language and the system. One supervisor cautions Paul against building up an expectation that youre going to make a change. Screen Australia is not responsible for and does not endorse any Third Party Sites' use, effect or content or any associated organisation, product or service on the third party site. Moreover the movie launched, because it is a success. 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) Today, just one remains. Given the emphasis on social capital, mutuality and reciprocity in Aboriginal culture, building on that may be the way forward. A tale of struggle and success, the beauty of sport crossing cultural barriers. Until then, however, we have Gordon's engaging if overwrought effort to tide us over. [2][3][4], The movie had mostly positive reception. If you would rather just drop us an email please send to [email protected] Dresnok keeps talking about three other soldiers who defected after him, and their lives in North Korea. Like most Australians, they have never been exposed to life in a remote indigenous community. 27 Bei San Li Tun Nan It was first screened in 2007 on the BBC. (Its first public, non-festival screening was on BBC.) Until then I am hopeful the documentary continues to make a valuable educational contribution. For some people around the country, January 26 or Australia Day is an opportunity to have a day off of work, hit up the beach, or a friend's BBQ and drink to excess. In other words. accepted. 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. Fisherman: If you only have sons, they must get into a lot of mischief. Similarly. A State of Mind occasionally relied on the voyeuristic pleasure derived from glimpses of everyday life in Pyongyang. For instance. Fisherman: [pause] You don't seem to enjoy fishing. 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 Mt Isa supervisors, in their weekly tele-conference with Amy and Paul, perceive that Paul has crossed the line and that suicide is an issue he should not touch on. Shortly this will also incorporate project-specific market and festival support provided by Screen Australia since its inception in July 2008. She undertook research trips to get the support of the community, the medical organisations and the University of Tasmania. Excludes Producer Offset and Producer Equity Program. Jump into our community to see how people react to our episodes, like and share the content.Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFkFUrV28yy4kpg9b6LNhuQ/playlists#CrimeDownUnderFullDocumentary #YouTubeFreeInvestigativeSeries #DocuSeries Now, the American defector's astonishing story is being told for the first time in a documentary called Crossing The Line. BEST DOCUMENTARY - Social and Political Issues - 2005 ATOM Awards (Australian Teachers of Media). 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. '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. Each episode allows the listener to experience the numerous barriers faced and the ways people . 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. Crossing the line [video recording]. Crossing the Line, which was narrated by actor Christian Slater, was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the festival. Your Name (required) Since 1993, No. The show features candid interviews with former agents and their operators, as well as dramatic stylisations of key events. If ordering please let us know the SET or PORTRAIT number and size you require, thank you 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. For nearly 40 years their life was. The regime had immense hopes for their mixed-race babies, such as training them to be spies. 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. Many viewers might be salivating to see more scenes of Pyongyang, but the plot dictates that a lot of time be spent on faces talking to the camera. All rights reserved****Sometimes you've got to join them to beat them. 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. His story broke open in September 2002 when it was reported that one of the kidnapped Japanese nationals, Hitomi Soga, had married an American defector. WINNER! 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. I don't know. Crossing The Line documentary: The story of Australia v South Africa and the ball-tampering scandal Watch the show at 10pm, Thursday on Sky Sports Cricket, with contributions from Shane. At the height of the Cold War, this unlikely band of brothers crossed the most heavily fortified area on earth and defected to DPRK. Distinctive storytelling for the big screen, Ambition, creativity, audience engagement, Quality, cultural value, innovation, diversity, Opportunities for First Nations storytellers, Insights into challenges facing the industry, International awards for Australian projects and people, Australian screenings at international festivals, International Pitching Events and Talent Labs, International Marketing Support: Festivals and awards, All Screen Australia production applications, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. While The Game of Their Lives and A State of Mind were sports documentaries, Crossing the Line narrates the tale of James Joseph Dresnok, an American soldier who defected to the North in 1962 while stationed at the . The existence of an American defector living in the . Dan Gordon (Director/Producer) Nicholas Bonner (Co-Producer). Films. b. The film elicits a wide range of responses about the thorny issues of 'crossing the line' in a medical professional sense. Crossing the Line lacks the clean through-line that A State of Mind was born with, but its sprawl is part of its appeal. 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 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. [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. The series follows individuals who seek abortion services and the heroes who help along the way. With Damion Cruzz, Bruce Cumings, James Joseph Dresnok, Charles Robert Jenkins. The plot is laid out in roughly fifteen-minute chunks: easy divisions to insert breaks for advertisements, I suspect. The film centred on Dresnok's history, highlighting his unhappiness in America, and particularly his desertion from the United States Army in 1962 to the DPRK. This film looks back on the life of Dresnok in North Korea and his importance within that regime. Passion Pictures A heartwarming story of trying to make the impossible possible. In 1962 a U.S. solider sent to guard the peace in South Korea undertook an extraordinary journey, at the height of the Cold War he deserted his unit and walked across the most heavily fortified area on Earth and defected to an alien communist state, North Korea. Project-specific support provided through Screen Australia's P&A Program only. Shopping at a supermarket. Directed by Daniel Gordon. Read all Director Kaye Harrison Writer Kaye Harrison Stars It was directed and produced by British filmmakers Daniel Gordon and Nicholas Bonner, and was shown at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Crossing the Line 2006, Documentary, 1h 31m 90% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 85% Audience Score 1,000+ Ratings What to know critics consensus An engrossing look at the aftermath of largely forgotten. will be notified by email within five working days should your response be 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. No-one knew why they did it. 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 . 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. ***This series and episode is under license from TVF. Over a fifteen-month window, the filmmakers made multiple trips to North Korea for shooting. 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: Crossing The Line. 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. Beyond straight-up murder stories, investigative journalist and host M. William Phelps . A "Girl Power" Film. In conclusion. If not this is just to pass the time. Crossing the Line (Korean: , A Blue-Eyed Pyongyang Citizen in North Korea) is a 2006 British documentary film by Daniel Gordon and Nicholas Bonner. Of the three soldiers who followed our protagonist, only oneCharles Jenkinsis still alive, and he defected in between interviews with Dresnok. Undercover, a three part documentary series, explores the human cost of the controversial New Zealand Police Undercover Programme, as told by former agents. CROSSING THE LINE is the third feature length documentary by VeryMuchSo Productions, the team that produced the RTS award-winning the game of their lives (four awards in total plus two Grierson nominations, one British Independent Film Awards nomination) and the acclaimed a state of mind (broadcast UK June 7th 2004 and chosen as Pick of the Day in every broadsheet) the story of two North Korean gymnasts as they prepare a Mass Games celebration. Includes Environmental And Societal Disasters And Speculative Future Doomsday, Includes Space And Technology Of The Past, Includes USA, Canada, Europe, And Australia History Channels And Military Channel, Includes Discovery Science and Investigation Discovery Channels, Includes Channel 4, 5, UKTV, ITV, and Sky TV, Includes Animal Planet, TLC, A&E, ABC, CBS, NBC, Includes Countries Currently & Formerly In The Commonwealth, Includes Leaders In Industry, Society, Technology, Arts, And Politics, Includes Conflicts Involving Predecessor States, Includes 18th & 19th Century Indian Wars, Citizen Rebellions, War of 1812, Foreign Wars & Conflicts of the 19th 21st Century. email [email protected]. 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. She weeps with the people, wrestling with the meaning of her Christian faith as she listens to stories of missionaries who removed children from their families and disciplined the people. In making the film, the filmmakers had astonishing access to Dresnok, his daily life in North Korea, his and the other defector families, and even the North Korean soldier who captured him in 1962.Thesesights have never been seen before to anyone outside North Korea, and even to most North Koreans. This is the story of the last American defector in North Korea, James Joseph Dresnok. Like. He became a coveted star of the North Korean propaganda machine, and found fame acting in films, typecast as an evil American. 56mins. 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. This is his story.VeryMuchSo Production and Koryo Tours in conjuction with Passion Pictures, BBC4 and ARTE. . However. It's very gratifying to know that the film encourages discussion and debate about such complex issues, makes me feel like I've done my job! 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. He has three sons from two wives. January 16, 2017. Certainly it must be born of Aboriginal culture. Kaye Harrison (director). 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. No one knows why they defected, until now. Its fraught history is explained well in the film when it chronicles the Korean War and the societal perception of the United States. None of the men had any idea what awaited them on the other side. Kaye Harrison wrote, directed and co-produced the video for ABC-TV, which screened it earlier this year in two parts on the Indigenous program Message stick. Captured by the North Koreans, Dresnok became the first of several American GI's to "defect" to the communist North and went on to be enormous propaganda tools to the regime of the time. Amy McCormack (medical student) and Louise Roughsey, Silhouette of youth on street (photo: Paul Joffe), Hector Thomas and Paul Joffe (medical student). [email protected]. Request an update here. We see Dresnok's home in Richmond, Virginia, as well as a fellow defector's reunion with his wife in Indonesia. Seem to enjoy fishing - 2005 ATOM Awards ( Australian Teachers of Media ) perception... Amy it is appalling the language and the ways people James Joseph Dresnok, who defected to North,! Company info, Solid documentary that is interesting despite the limited appeal the! 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