A State of Mind (2004)

Director:

Daniel Gordon

Writer:

Daniel Gordon (writer)

Release Date:

2004 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

A British documentary that follows two young North Korean girls as they prepare for the Mass Games, the world's largest choreographed gymnastics performance. |

Plot Keywords:

Gymnastics | Dear Leader | Kim Il Sung | Propaganda Film | Korean Agriculture

Cast

Daniel Gordon	...	Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jong-il Kim	...	Himself (archive footage)
Song Yun Kim	...	Herself
Hyon Sun Pak	...	Herself

Directed by
Daniel Gordon

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Daniel Gordon		writer

Produced by
John Battsek	....	executive producer
Nicholas Bonner	....	associate producer
Thierry Garrel	....	executive producer
Daniel Gordon	....	producer
Richard Klein	....	executive producer
Stephen Segaller	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Barnaby Taylor

Cinematography by
Nick Bennet

Film Editing by
Peter Haddon

Production Management
Alison Ollivent	....	production manager

Sound Department
Ashley Gobbett	....	dubbing mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Nicholas Bonner	....	additional photographer
Daniel Gordon	....	additional photographer

Editorial Department
Yeonah Paik	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Ben Jackson	....	translator
Do Mi Kim	....	translator
Jessica Ludgrove	....	production coordinator
Yeonah Paik	....	translator
Phil Parkin	....	researcher

Production Companies

• VeryMuchSo Productions

Distributors

• Cinequanon (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Kino International (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Discovery Channel (2006) (Japan) (TV)

Runtime:

New Zealand:94 min | USA:93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Korean

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:PG | South Korea:12 | New Zealand:PG

Filming Locations:

Pyongyang, North Korea

Company:

VeryMuchSo Productions

Movie Connections:

References Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966)

A new look at the secretive state.

I only began to know a bit more about North Korea thanks to my school's past social studies and history classes, where at both times the Korean War was mentioned and being discussed. It was like few years back, but at times it kept ringing in my head.

Maybe because since some time back, there has been those news reports on the tearful reunions and meetings between the ordinary families of the two Koreas. And also with all that 'Korea wave' happening (in terms of its pop culture especially) and the media liberation in South Korea, she is slowly starting to present some of its darkest moments in its history onto the screen.

Just like before the start of the documentary which I saw on the Discovery Channel, it stated that North Korea is the least visited, least known, and the least understood nation in the world. I have to agree with my heavy heart, it's true. Speaking from someone who was once a History student, it's very saddening to at times for me to read of stories of how life is like in North Korea through the papers. It's not that I want to condemn the western media, but then the world is just like that.

Are you able to determine where you should be born? If you are born into a country which has a very different system of government which may deemed so-called 'evil' to the outside world, there is no way out. Unless you know how to do something about it.

This documentary follows two girls (one belonging to the workers' class and the other - the intellectuals' class) being raised in different backgrounds in the capital of Pyongyang, and how they are preparing for their country's most spectacular and well-known event to the outside world - the Mass Games. It's kind of interesting to know that in the country itself, it has three classes - the peasants, the workers, and the intellectuals.

For all those who said that this documentary is all about propaganda and stuff like that - open your eyes, please. Which is why I said earlier it's not that I don't want to condemn the western media on their portraying of the secretive state actually. I kind of know the feeling, because living here in Singapore for my entire life, I am more or less aware how those western media at times see us. Making all our democratic system of government sounding as if it's not what a democratic country should be. As it's often being said - 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.' How can you expect everyone to follow your style of democracy?

Back to the case of North Korea. It's kind of like a big opener to know how living in the capital is like and how kids like one of the girls being featured for this documentary went about in their daily school life. Maybe ordinary Americans may kind of wonder why the North Koreans as being shown in this documentary always blame them for whatever faults they have (like one of the families blaming the Americans for their constant blackout in the house), but then it's like, I don't know...the North Koreans are being brought up in a way that America is their biggest enemy and it stands everything what they disagree upon.

It's all comes back to a case of ideology. History has shown us what communism can do as it does for Russia and its eastern European neighbours once. But in the case of North Korea, its citizens had been taught to think in that manner. I know propaganda is involved, given it showed how they really respect their leader.

Sadly, propaganda is everywhere, though we may not want to admit it at times. I had heard the propaganda word umpteen times in my past History classes that I don't even want to think about it. We should at least count ourselves lucky we are living in a civilised world.

Overall, this is one documentary which shows how life is like in one of the least visited, least known...and the least understood nations in the world.