Beyond Utopia follows the last known defectors to attempt to flee North Korea, where an oppressive dictatorship works overtime to convince the citizens that they are living in paradise. At the film’s core are a mother desperate to reunite with the child she was forced to leave behind; a family of five, including small children and an elderly grandmother, embarking on a treacherous journey across the Yalu River and into the hostile mountains of China; and a man of God on a mission to help these desperate souls. Leaving their homeland is fraught with danger — severe punishment if caught and possibly even execution — as well as potential exploitation by unscrupulous brokers. Family members who remain behind also may face retribution. Yet these individuals are driven to take the risk.