Post by Admin on Sept 25, 2019 6:31:38 GMT
Olympic Channel's new documentary Running in North Korea premiered in London on Monday (23 September).
Set in the capital Pyongyang, the film follows British snowboarder Aimee Fuller and Swiss skier Mimi Jaeger as they prepared to and eventually ran in the annual Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon (Pyongyang Marathon).
It was made possible through the efforts of the National Olympic Committee of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) who helped the International Olympic Committee (IOC) give the film crew access to the country.
Nearly 1,000 foreigners took part in this year's Pyongyang Marathon, half-marathon, or 10 km races, starting off from the nearly-full Kim Il Sung Stadium.
Fuller, who was competing in her first marathon, finished with a time of 4:35:34.
"(It was) one of the craziest experiences I think I've ever had. Going into the unknown for a week, being completely cut off from the outside world. Not only was it refreshing, it was eye opening," she said at the film's world premiere.
Asked about the experience of travelling to the DPRK, she added: "The feeling of going somewhere you know nothing about, there’s so much mystery, controversy and it was an opportunity to go there and decide for myself.
"The people there were lovely. It was so humbling to speak to the locals to see how grateful they are for the most simple things. I learnt that the world is a small place when it is accessible.