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Poster for A State of Mind

A State of Mind

2005 · 1h 33m · Not Rated Documentary, Music
Directed by Daniel Gordon

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Overview

Two young North Korean gymnasts prepare for an unprecedented competition in this documentary that offers a rare look into the communist society and the daily lives of North Korean families. For more than eight months, film crews follow 13-year-old Pak Hyon Sun and 11-year-old Kim Song Yun and their families as the girls train for the Mass Games, a spectacular nationalist celebration.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
89%
Tomatometer
Fresh

This fascinating documentary details day-to-day life in the hard-line Communist state of North Korea.

Richard James Havis, Hollywood Reporter
Fresh

A riveting BBC documentary that illuminates the character of that nation.

Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times
Fresh

It's a quietly wrenching eye-opener.

Ty Burr, Boston Globe
Fresh

A fresh, straightforward portrayal of what the film calls 'the least visible ... least known ... least understood ... country in the world.'

Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times
Fresh

Gordon gives an intimate, balanced account of how political power, famine, power shortages and a hatred of America have shaped their young lives.

Paul Malcolm, L.A. Weekly

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