A State of Mind is a 2004 documentary film directed by Daniel Gordon,[1] who is known for his documentaries on sports and North Korea, and produced by Nicholas Bonner.[2] It follows two North Korean child gymnasts and their families for over eight months during training for the 2003 Pyongyang mass games.[1] The film won two awards at the North Korean Pyongyang International Film Festival in 2004 and was shown at 11 other film festivals worldwide before being released in a theatrical run in 2005.
| A State of Mind | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Daniel Gordon |
| Produced by | Nicholas Bonner and John Battsek |
| Distributed by | Kino International |
Release date |
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Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Languages | English, Korean |
Production
editGordon received US$600,000 from the BBC and WNET to produce the film.[3]
Gordon and his team initially intended to have the documentary feature on one gymnast and one backdrop creator. They requested to meet with the mass games' best gymnast, and in September 2002 they met Pak Hyon Sun and her family. After speaking with Sun, they met with her friend, fellow gymnast Kim Song Yon.[1] Authorities then suggested the filmmakers focus on Song-Yon, which Gordon pushed back on.[4] By April 2003, they decided to focus filming on both girls.[1]
Gordon and his team were accompanied by guides and translators during the production of the film. According to Gordon, they "neither interfered nor sought to censor the material".[1][5]
The film did not have any input from North Korean authorities during the editing process, and their footage was not screened prior to leaving the country.[1]
Release and reception
editThe documentary was aired on the BBC in June 2004,[1] and premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City that same month.[3] It premiered in American theaters on August 10, 2004,[6] and in Seoul later that month.[5] The film received positive reviews among Western outlets, including The New York Times,[6] Slant Magazine,[4] Variety,[7] and The Washington Post.[3][8]
The documentary has been broadcast multiple times on North Korean state television.[1]
In other media
editUK-based dance band Faithless used clips from the documentary for the video to the single "I Want More."
See also
edit- The Game of Their Lives (2002), a previous film by Daniel Gordon and Nicholas Bonner about North Korean athletes
- Crossing the Line (2006), their most recent film about Joe Dresnok, an American who defected to North Korea in 1962
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Yoon, Cindy. "A North Korean State of Mind". Asia Society. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Justin Corfield, Historical Dictionary of Pyongyang 2013, page 16 "Nick Bonner has also been involved in the production of a number of films on the DPRK including The Game of Their Lives (2001) about the North Korean World Cup soccer team, A State of Mind (2005) about two young girls taking part in the ..."
- ^ a b c Faiola, Anthony (10 June 2005). "Film Strikes Rare Balance on N. Korea". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ a b Gonzalez, Ed (10 August 2005). "Review: A State of Mind". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ a b Weaver, Teri (26 August 2005). "Movie peeks into North Korea's 'State of Mind'". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ a b Stevens, Dana (10 August 2005). "North Korea as Glimpsed Through a Spectacle". The New York Times.
- ^ Elley, Derek (14 November 2004). "A State of Mind". Variety. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ Morehead, Jason (5 May 2007). ""A State of Mind" by Daniel Gordon (Review)". Opus. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
External links
editFurther reading
edit- Choi, Suhi (December 2011). "A Filmic Reality: Images of North Korea in the British Documentary A State of Mind". Asian Cinema. 22 (2): 290–304. doi:10.1386/ac.22.2.290_1. Retrieved 5 April 2024 – via intellectdiscover.com.