Russia plans to screen North Korean films in movie theaters

Representatives of the Russian and North Korean film industries are discussing the possibility of producing joint films and mutual film distribution. In particular, the parties are considering the option of filming Russian movies in North Korea and screening North Korean films in Russia. 

According to her, the prospects for cooperation were discussed during a visit by a Moscow delegation to Pyongyang. The trip is taking place as part of the first Russian Film Week in the DPRK’s capital, which runs from October 24 to 28. Local audiences are being shown Russian films with military and patriotic themes, produced with state support. Among them are *August* by directors Nikita Vysotsky and Ilya Lebedev (2025), “Not on the Lists” by Sergei Korotaev (2025), and “Father” by Pavel Ivanov (2026).

Further development of cinematic ties between the two countries involves expanding the practice of holding film weeks. Russian films will continue to be screened in North Korea, and North Korean productions are planned to be presented to Russian audiences. Antonova called the exchange film weeks the first important step toward deepening cooperation and announced the start of discussions on joint projects and the mutual distribution of national films.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, contacts between Moscow and Pyongyang have expanded significantly and now extend beyond the military and political spheres. In particular, Russian children are vacationing at the North Korean “Songdowon” camp, Russian universities have announced the recognition of North Korean diplomas, and the two countries also plan to jointly develop artificial intelligence.

At the same time, military cooperation remains one of the main areas of interaction between Moscow and Pyongyang. According to an October report by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Dallas-based George W. Bush Institute, approximately 12,000 North Koreans work in the Russian special economic zone “Alabuga.” The report’s authors claim that these workers are subjected to conditions akin to slavery, and that a significant portion of their earnings is appropriated by the North Korean government.