Assassins

Director: Ryan White

Institute History

  • 2020 Sundance Film Festival

Description

The mysterious murder of North Korean royal family member Kim Jong-nam in Malaysia sparks a captivating global investigation. At the center of the story, two women are on trial for the murder. Are the women ruthless assassins or political pawns in a twisted game?

The investigation goes far beyond the headlines, probing further into each woman’s upbringing, one in rural Indonesia and one in Vietnam, and, ultimately, what led them to participate in an alleged prank show that ended with Kim Jong-nam dead. Assassins questions every angle of this murder case, from human trafficking to high-level political espionage to the inner dynamics of the North Korean royal family.

Filmmaker Ryan White (The Case Against 8, Ask Dr. Ruth) returns to Sundance Film Festival with another suspenseful, heart-wrenching exploration of a vital story of the moment. Equal parts rigorous investigation and empathetic portrait, Assassins shines a light on the global ramifications of this case and the life at stake for two young women in a dangerous plot.

— L.C.

Screening Details

  • Section: Doc Premieres
  • Film Type: US Documentary Feature
  • Country: U.S.A.
  • Language: English and Indonesian/Malay/Vietnamese
  • Run Time: 104 min.

Credits

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