| A State of Mind (¾î¶² ³ª¶ó) | ||
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| KIMA Notes: | ||
 Documentarian
Daniel Gordon returns to North Korea to follow the days in the regimented
lives of two North Korean schoolgirls, Kim Song-yun and Park Hyon-son,
as they prepare for the opportunity to perform for their 'Dear Leader'
Kim Jong-il in "The Mass Games". The Mass Games are a massive
annual display of choreographed gymnastics and drill teams. Although
director Gordon is clear to note that they are followed by government
officials at every moment while filming, this film provides a rare
glimpse into day to day life in North Korea. The Mass Games serve
as the perfect metaphor for what has allowed North Korea to survive
so far, much to the frustration of Western world leaders. As Lim Kyung-ha and Park Sung-hyun of Yonsei University have noted, South Korea is arguably not a peninsula. Bordered on one side by water and the other side by a country that does not allow free travel in and out of its borders, South Korea becomes something closer to an island nation. And with the waves of thousands of coordinated bodies flowing in this documentary, one can see why North Korea has been such an impassable body for over fifty years. At the same time, there are moments in A STATE OF MIND when North Korea's image of herself is cracked, showing that the current political program might be as ill-fitting for her citizens as the gymnastics uniform that young Kim Song-yun wears, providing hope that a unified peninsula might be returned one day. (Written by Adam Hartzell) |
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| Synopsis: | ||
 A
STATE OF MIND follows two North Korean schoolgirls and their families
in the lead-up to the Mass Games-the biggest and most elaborate human
performance on earth. After finishing the 2002 award-winning documentary
THE GAME OF THEIR LIVES, director Daniel Gordon and producer Nicholas
Bonner were granted permission from the North Korean authorities to
make a second feature film: an observational documentary focusing
on two young gymnasts, 13-year-old Pak Hyon Sun and 11-year-old Kim
Song Yun. Following a strict routine which involved several hours
of daily workouts and gymnast instruction, Kim Song Yun and Pak Hyon
Sun practiced through exhaustion?doing pirouettes and cartwheels on
a cement floor-and proudly displayed their love for great General
Kim Jong Il. But more than a character expose, A STATE OF MIND features
filmed interviews with the girls' family members as well as exclusive
footage of North Korean schools, museums, parks, cities and country
areas. It connects culture, history and politics into one complex,
heartfelt story of a country with strong traditions-and a traumatic
past. A STATE OF MIND not only unravels some of the cultural meanings
behind this epic celebration but also places this country's current
political status - as a ¡°rogue nation¡± - in perspective with some
of its most important historical moments. By creating a fascinating
mixture of essay filmmaking and cinema verite, Daniel Gordon provides
us with a rare glimpse into what is one of the world's least known
societies. |
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| Director's Filmography | ||
| | Crossing the Line (2006) (filming) | A State of Mind (2004) | The Game of Their Lives (2002) | | ||
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