Where North Koreans watch films: A look into several Pyongyang movie theaters

Held every even year, the Pyongyang International Film Festival (PIFF) is a rare opportunity for locals and foreigners in the North Korean capital to gather in a select number of theaters.  The 16th edition of the Festival will take place from Sep. 19-28, and if the 2016 event is anything to go by, visitors can expect a slate of several dozen films from countries such as Bangladesh, Russia, Myanmar, Syria, China, Germany and India (Bollywood movies are especially popular in North Korea).

English subtitles aren’t always guaranteed at screenings, and some theaters are off limits to tourists.  Those who have a chance to attend PIFF can react to dialogue and scenes alongside some diehard movie fans.

Central Youth Hall

The venue for the PIFF Opening and Closing Ceremonies is actually a sprawling complex of theaters and meeting rooms.  The larger of the two theatres seats 2,000 people, and in 2016 it hosted the Opening Ceremony and film, “A Quiet Outpost,” back to back over several hours.

Attendees wait for the 2016 Pyongyang International Film Festival Opening Ceremony to begin. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

Those unfamiliar with the venue and North Korean film should take time to wander into the lobby and observe the details in some spectacularly painted and drawn murals depicting scenes from various domestic movies.

Murals on display in the Central Youth Hall at the 2016 Pyongyang International Film Festival. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

Kaeson Cinema

The exterior of the Kaeson Cinema, a theater that is open throughout the Pyongyang International Film Festival to foreigners. The poster on the right is for the film “A Broad Bellflower,” which starred O Mi-ran, one of the top actresses in North Korean cinematic history. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

A snack tent set up just outside of Kaeson Cinema in Pyongyang. Items for sale included bottled and boxed drinks; chips; and gimbap. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

Mirae Scientists’ Street Cinema

The Mirae Scientists’ Street Cinema was not open to foreign visitors during the 2016 PIFF, but it did host screenings for locals.  In addition to the theater, a small gift shop stocks DVDs and books that are difficult to find in other hotel gift shops across the city, such as Korean Film Art, a catalog in Korean and English that documents select films made in North Korea over the years.

The gift shop at the Mirae Scientists’ Street Cinema includes tablet devices with pre-loaded movies. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

The Mirae Scientists’ Street Cinema is part of a thoroughfare that opened in late 2015. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

Pyongyang International Cinema House

The massive Pyongyang International Cinema House, which holds several theaters. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

Spectators wait to enter the 300-seat theater at the Pyongyang International Cinema House. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

More tablets for sale, this time featured at the lone sponsor booth at the Pyongyang International Cinema House. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

The interior of the Pyongyang International Cinema House. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)

Taedongmun Cinema Hall

The interior of the Taedongmun Cinema Hall, considered to be one of the most “prestigious” venues to watch a screening, according to Lonely Planet. The theatre opened in 1955. (photo by Meniscus Magazine)