Images can be a weapon, voice, tool of criticism, and a vehicle for awareness, and for painter Sun Mu, his work falls into all those categories. He takes center stage in the upcoming documentary "I Am Sun Mu," which tells his incredible story as an artist who uses his skills to speak out against the government that trained him.
Directed by Adam Sjöberg, the documentary tells the story of Sun Mu — a pseudonym which means "no boundaries" — a North Korean defector who used to create work for the regime, who escaped the country, and now uses those same talents to depict his troubled life in the world’s most reclusive and repressive state, while also creating images of hope. However, Sun Mu remains fearful, for his family still in North Korea (in the documentary, his face is never shown) and his past isn’t so easy to shake off.
"Every time I step on those names, I feel like I shouldn’t, I was taught not to disrespect them, and that’s still embedded in me," Sun Mu said about targeting North Korean officials (via The Los Angeles Times).
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"I Am Sun Mu" will make its U.S. premiere at the DOC NYC Festival which kicks off on November 12th. Check out an exclusive clip below.