A State of Mind

Following a strict routine, which involved several hours of daily workouts and gymnast instruction, North Korean schoolgirl gymnasts, 11-year-old Kim Song Yun and 13-year-old 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, this film unravels some of the political meanings behind this epic sports celebration while placing the country's current political status - as a "rogue nation" - in perspective with some of its most important and traumatic historical moments. (Verleiher-Text)