India, May 7 -- When one thinks of Korean movies, it's usually those from the glamorous South Korean film industry. But across the 38th parallel lies the Hermit Kingdom, whose cinema offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of people in a world that might seem trapped in time. Indeed, quite a few North Korean movies are enchanting. Yet they are not particularly known to much of the world.

North Korean cinema is an extension of the country's political system. As such, almost everything churned out in Pyongyang in the name of entertainment is propaganda. All stories, therefore, must be supportive of North Korea's official state ideology, known as Juche, and showcase people as always striving for the betterment of the nation over themsel...