Hot Docs

Yang Yonghi’s Dear Pyongyang deeply moved audiences at Hot Docs three years ago, but eventually led to the filmmaker being banned from North Korea for reasons that remain unclear. Yang returns to the Festival with Sona, The Other Myself, another tender, bittersweet story from her father’s ideological homeland. Here Yang compiles a touching portrait of her niece, Sona, from footage shot over a 15-year period prior to Yang being denied entrance to visit her North Korean brothers. Through Sona, the film offers a glimpse into the lives of the generation that migrated from Japan to North Korea and their offspring who were born and raised in North Korea. Sona’s upbringing is quite typical of a North Korean child’s, but the special situation of her immigrant family—so closely connected to and supported by her Japanese relatives—makes its presence known in subtle ways. A simple story, honestly and intuitively told. - Sean Farnel