directed by: Vitaly Mansky, year: 2015
actors: Sun, Mother, Father

Under the Sun follows a North Korean family during a tightly controlled itinerary crafted for state propaganda. Filmed with a sanctioned crew, the documentary centers on Sun, a young girl, and her parents as they visit a seaside town, ride a train, and rehearse appearances for a media report. Vitaly Mansky foregrounds how reality is curated behind the scenes, revealing human longing, fear, and resilience amid a meticulously choreographed world. The film poses questions about manipulation, consent, and the ethics of filming inside a closed society.

Meta Documentary, Documentary, Political Documentary, North Korea, Propaganda, Cinema Verite, Observational