| The Red Chapel | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Mads Brügger |
| Produced by | Peter Engel Peter Aalbæk Jensen |
| Cinematography | René Johannsen |
| Editing by | René Johannsen |
| Studio | Danmarks Radio Zentropa Productions |
| Distributed by | Kino Lorber Films |
| Release date(s) | May 4, 2009 (Hot Docs) August 30, 2009 (Denmark) |
| Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | Denmark |
| Language | Danish |
The Red Chapel (Danish: Det Røde Kapel) is a 2009 Danish documentary film directed by Mads Brügger. It chronicles the visit of Brügger and Danish comedians that are adopted from South Korea, Jacob Nossell (who is in a wheelchair) and Simon Jul to North Korea under the pretense of a small theatre troupe on a cultural exchange. This is also the first time the two comedians have ever visited Korea.[1] The film won Best Nordic Documentary at Nordisk Panorama 2009 and Best Foreign Documentary at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival where it was included in the Official Selection. It is filmed and edited by René Johannsen.
The film features roughly the same contents as the 4-part documentary series Det Røde Kapel.
Contents |
The authorities demand much control over the performance of the theatre troupe, and try to use it for propaganda purposes. The film crew plays along, but among themselves and in the voice-over they are critical of the regime.
Los Angeles Times' reviewer Mark Olson called it "shocking, funny and wildly outrageous" and "a real find".[2] Kyle Smith from the New York Post described it as "a clear-eyed and inspired documentary".[3] The New York Times reviewer Neil Genzlinger found it sloppy and thought it had "no revelations to offer".[4]