A State of Mind

A STATE OF MIND is an engaging little British documentary that follows the path of two young North Korean girls who are training to take part in regular 'games' held in that country, games that show off spectacular choreography and colour as a way to honour the country's leaders. The documentary is interesting because it shows the other side of the story, with cameras allowed inside the country so the viewers can witness real life there without the hyberbole.

The documentary works because the focus is on real people, and you spend long enough with them to get to know and understand what drives them and how they feel. The glimpses of North Korean life we witness are often enthralling, and I particularly enjoyed the training sequences which show off some incredible acrobatic skills. We'll never know whether A STATE OF MIND tells the full story or not, but I'm left feeling sad that this country remains isolated from the rest of the world and unable to integrate on an international scale. North Koreans seem far from the bogeymen portrayed in western media.

I just saw this movie and really enjoyed it.

To those who are criticizing the makers of the film for not revealing the horrific "truth" about North Korea, it's worth pointing out that politicizing the film would have resulted in 1) the film crew's Korean minders being thrown in jail (they are responsible for making sure that the film doesn't reflect negatively on the state), not to mention the extended families of the minders, 2) most probably both girls & their families also being jailed, and 3) pretty much any other Korean people who show up in the film also, being thrown in jail.

Jail in North Korea is very, very ugly and I imagine many people don't live long there.

Rather than have everyone they ever interviewed possibly tortured and killed, the film's creators wisely chose to criticize the North Korea state only in an oblique manner, simply by stating the truth and avoiding controversial topics. Had they not, aside from the consequences to their subjects, they would never have been allowed to set foot in the country again.

Yes, the girls and their families are the elite of the state. Frankly, I live better than that, and I'm not rich. If they're the elite, the country must be in rough shape.

I'm just glad we were able to see so much of what daily life is like (in Pyongyang). Extended footage like this from inside the country is very rare.

The most interesting comment from director Daniel Gordon at the Tribeca Film Festival's screening of this movie was about the difficulties encountered in making this film, none of which came from state censors or anyone at all in North Korea. The most resistance came from Western entities (distributors, studios) that dismissed the film as inaccurate because it did not conform to their own notions of what life in North Korea was really like. The tone of this film, with the lives of two young gymnasts at its center, is straight-forward and unpreachy. Aside from brief glimpses of the obligatory posters condemning the U.S., masses in blue suits swearing allegiance to the socialist cause, and abundant references to the General, what we mostly see are the two girls and the intimate details of their lives, singing karaoke with their families, preparing for school in the morning, being chided for not eating their breakfast or doing their homework, and struggling through hours of exhausting gymnastic practice. There is also the spectacular, dizzying footage of the mass games, which alone would be worth the movie ticket. There was never the feeling that this is meant to be an "inside-look," even though the film does owe much of the fascination surrounding it to its subject matter. It was enlightening and entertaining to see what life is like in Pyongyang, but to approach this film as simply a bit of cultural curiosity is to miss the richer experience it offers, one that had me rooting and fretting for the two girls as they approach their final performance, and hoping that their wish to perform in front of the General comes true.

I don't like to politicize my reviews. I have found that in practically ever land there are amazingly good films--regardless of the political tensions between my country and theirs. For example, although things are a bit tense now with Iran, this nation has made some wonderful films--such as the films of Majid Majidi which manage to transcend nations and ideologies. So, if you are willing to be open-minded and look, you can find good everywhere in my opinion. However, this is a difficult proposition with North Korea. They don't seem to be making movies and there simply is almost no opportunity to look into their culture to see what the nation is like, as there simply is almost nothing going in or out of this isolated nation. However, back about a decade or so ago, a few small glimpses occurred and "A State of Mind" is one of them*. Like it or not, for now this is all we appear to have from which we can learn about this nation. And, because of that, I think it's well worth seeing.

"A State of Mind" is a film made by a British production company. They were invited to the nation to follow several girls as they prepared for the 'Mass Games'. These games are ENORMOUS pageants in which many days of mass parades and performances are done to honor their leader. Some of these HUGE spectacles required 80,000 people and millions of man- hours according to the film!! The devotion and energy of the participants is difficult to imagine in our Western cultures and I would never imagine folks I know joining in a massive celebration in which the individual is sublimated to the glory of the State. It's just so very foreign--and this is what makes the film hard to stop watching. It is almost like looking onto an alien culture--and this is NOT meant as a criticism at all.

What I liked best is that the narrators didn't over-narrate or opine about the nation. Instead, they mostly just showed the people and let them talk. Now I might have liked to have heard about the restrictions placed on the filmmakers--such as where they could and couldn't visit and questions they could or could not ask. But, this is really not all that important--what IS important is that it gives you a glimpse of what is going on in North Korea. See it and learn.

By the way, the reason I didn't score this one a bit higher is that I do think that perhaps TOO MUCH of the parading was shown. It became tiresome to watch the girls practicing again and again and again and again for months. However, even this was interesting in a way--imagine how this was for these thousands and thousands of kids who did this! Wow....

*Another documentary filmed in North Korea by Western filmmakers was National Geographic's "Inside North Korea"--about a group of doctors who came to the country to perform free eye surgery for many blind North Koreans. It is fascinating--perhaps more so than "A State of Mind" as the now sighted folks did not thank their doctors when their bandages were removed but immediately ran to a poster of their leader, Kim Il Sung and began crying hysterically--thanking HIM for the restoration of their sight.

Since the only comments that have been posted on this film are negative, I wanted to put something positive. First off I am fascinated with countries and the ways of life other then what Im used too. This film let an insider see what its like in a country that only exists with in itself without all of the trends, and the typical attitudes by the people you will find in the USA. I can understand their hatred and frustration towards "the land of the free" and it was just magical to me to see what these people are about and what they truly stand for and what they believe. My argument has always been the US wouldn't like it if other nations invaded them and tried to control their way of life so why do they think they can do it to other nations. Whose Washington to say North Koreas wrong?? When it all comes down too it united states citizens are just as brainwashed as any other nation about what is right or wrong but the film is very good and it gives you a look at a country that is basically a secret to the western world.