‘Under The Sun’ At Cinestudio

Russian filmmaker Vitaly Mansky worked with the North Korean government to make his film “Under the Sun” in that totalitarian country. Government representatives wrote the script, approved the locations and edited the footage.

But Mansky, looking for an expose of the government’s propagandist practices, outmaneuvered them. Unbeknownst to anyone else, he shot additional footage by letting the camera roll during shot set-ups. He succeeded in recording examples of how the government manipulates images of daily life to create a false perception of widespread patriotism and happiness.

“Under the Sun” tells the story of Zin-mi, a girl who has been chosen to participate in “Day of the Shining Star,” an annual celebration of the birthday of former leader Kim Jong-il. It follows her family as they prepare Zin-mi for the big day.

The film premiered in European film festivals in late 2015 and early 2016 and caused an international scandal. “Under the Sun” will be shown Sunday to Wednesday, Sept. 18 to 21, at Cinestudio, 300 Summit St., on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. daily, with a 4:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

Also at Cinestudio this week is “Richard II,” a Globe on Screen presentation of Shakespeare’s play from the Shakespeare Globe Theater. It will be shown Sunday, Sept. 18, at 1 p.m. cinestudio.org.