The Schoolgirl's Diary

A charming, and surprisingly understated drama, from the Republic of North Korea. The Schoolgirl`s Diary is one of very few films from the closed country that has been distributed outside the North-Korean borders. We follow Su-ryeon, a schoolgirl living outside Pyongyang. Her father is absent, and Su-ryeon has problems understanding why he spends so much time at his job doing research at the family`s expense . When he succeeds with a scientific breakthrough however, she realizes how selfish she has been.

While this film is far from critical to the North-Korean regime, the propagandistic elements are surprisingly understated, and the ideological message of community and sacrifice to the nation is intelligently portrayed through the development of Su-ryeon`s character. The Schoolgirl's Diary sold over 5 million tickets in North Korea and was distributed in several European countries.

Jang In-hak is a North Korean director born in 1950. Educated at the University of Film and Dramatic Arts in Pyongyang, he began his directing career in 1990. This is his best known film, along with The Other Side of the Mountain (2012).