The makers of the award-winning The Game of their Lives provide another rare insight into North Korean society.
The new film follows two young gymnasts and their families for over eight months in the lead up to the Mass Games. The socialist realism spectacular involves a cast of thousands in the biggest and most elaborate human performance on earth.
Director Interview: Daniel Gordon
BBC Four: Where did the idea come from?
Daniel Gordon: After making The Game of their Lives we spoke to the BBC about a possible second project. I thought that the Mass Games was the obvious one if we were to go back. The Game of their Lives has been shown about 10 times in North Korea and because there’s only one channel there everyone has seen it. It’s really opened doors for us.
BBC Four: How did you find the two girls in the film?
DG: We worked in cooperation with the North Korean State Film Company. We told them what we wanted to do and the type of subject we were after and they found the girls. Initially we thought the first girl was given to us for propaganda because she was so good and had a model family. But it actually turned out that she was the best gymnast by far and that’s why they thought she’d be a good subject. As it turned out, when it came to the performance she was right there in the centre.
BBC Four: Their families are very candid, talking about the famine and the problems they face. Did that surprise you?
DG: It was the biggest surprise really, that they were actually as frank as they were. It is the first time anyone has talked about The Arduous March [famine]. They spoke about the hardships; they allowed us to film during the power cut and we were able to get a rapport with them that astounded us. I think they realised that we wouldn’t betray them and make them look stupid. We weren’t going to let them fall into the trap of them saying what they want to say and then the narration immediately contradicting them.
BBC Four: It is almost unbelievable to see the utter devotion people have to the Dear Leader Kim Jong-il...
DG: Kim Il-sung was in power from 1945 to 1994 and after a three-year mourning period Kim Jong-il assumed the reign so they have not known anything different. It hasn’t surprised me how devoted they are and I think it’s very genuine as well.
BBC Four: You had no sense of any dissent or people doubting their loyalty?
DG: Not at all. When it is peaceful and there’s no sense of threat then it’s possible to doubt your leadership. But not only are they constantly warned that America is just waiting to come back, but Donald Rumsfeld actually said the US can fight a war on two fronts before going into Iraq. History almost plays itself out to become a self-fulfilling prophesy.
BBC Four: The hatred toward the United States is absolutely incredible. Were you ever mistaken for an American?
DG: It is incredible. We were never mistaken for Americans but I have been there when Americans were allowed in and they were amazed by the hospitality. It is actually hatred towards government not people and that’s always made clear to us. They have no issue at all with American people – or peace-loving American people at least.
BBC Four: Something else that’s very evident in the film is just how isolated the country is. What sense do get from those you met of how that affects them?
DG: The people we came across, by and large, are extremely happy with their lot. They are a generally happy people, and whatever we may think of the system, I really warmed to the people. They don't yearn for anything from the West. We talk very frankly and openly with our Korean guides. They asked what the latest thing on TV over here is. We would describe something like Temptation Island and they’d look at us and say, "What has happened to your society?"
The object of the film was to show these people’s daily lives. We know absolutely nothing about them and the film offers a small window on a quite privileged world within the capital city which is still not the best it can be.
BBC Four: Finally, the music in the final sequence is very memorable. What is it?
DG: A lot of people ask us that. It's from a compilation album called Deeper Shades of Euphoria. It's actually made up of two separate tracks edited together. If you get that album, the tracks are 17 - Everyday, Every Moment, Every Time and track 19, which is called Silence.
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