"Beyond Utopia" is in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Director Madeleine Gavin discusses her movie, which takes a suspenseful look at the lengths people will go to gain freedom, and follows various individuals as they attempt to flee one of the most oppressive places on Earth.
![A still from 'Beyond Utopia' by Madeleine Gavin, an official selection of the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/15a43fc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2560x1440+0+0/resize/880x495!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2F56%2F43f2dfc844f49adb9ca222b91c04%2Fbeyond-utopia-still-1.jpg)
Sundance Institute