The International Festival of Craft Documentaries returns from 3 to 12 October on Filmin in a new edition that showcases the creative diversity in the world of craft
The 3rd International Festival of Craft Documentaries, which is promoted by Artesania de Catalunya, the Consortium for Trade, Crafts and Fashion of Catalonia (CCAM) of the Government of Catalonia, will be held from 3 to 12 October in digital format featuring a programme of 16 documentaries dedicated to the world of craft. All of the works can be watched on the Filmin streaming platform.
This third edition is to showcase the creative wealth and diversity of the world of craft through documentaries that tell contemporary stories about creators, organisations and craftspeople from various trades in a number of formats – short films, video creations and music videos. The pieces reflect the sector’s engagement with sustainability as they chronicle projects about the crossover between technological innovation and craft, and there are audiovisual works that explain how craftwork is deeply rooted on home turf.
The WCC Europe selected and presents a short film on a BeCraft ceramist artist: Anne Marie Laureys, taken from a series of 10 portraits of artists made by BeCraft, made by Arthur Ancion.
The aim of the 3rd International Festival of Craft Documentaries is to be a meeting point for two prolifically creative sectors – craft and documentary filmmaking – in order to bring about the creation of quality documentaries, based on creative craft processes in which craftspeople and their work take centre stage. In short, it is intended to shine the light on, promote and introduce the world of craft in a number of audiovisual formats. This international festival is the only one of its kind that is held in Catalonia or Spain.
This edition brings together 16 audiovisual works: 13 short documentaries, 1 video creation, 1 music video and 1 short film. These domestic and international productions feature craft as the main protagonist. This year eight works will be premiered.
Curated by Artesania Catalunya and the culture manager specialised in the field of craft and filmmaking, David Hierro, the pieces were chosen on the basis of their quality, diversity and creativity. For the first time ever, 10 institutions of recognised prestige in the craft sector have given their support to the event: Fundesarte – EOI, Escuela de Organización Industrial; Federació d’Associacions d’Artesans d’Ofici de Catalunya (FAAOC); Gremi Artesà Tèxtil de Catalunya; Oficio y Arte; Federación de Organizaciones Artesanas de Castilla y León (FOACAL); LOEWE Foundation; Michelangelo Foundation and the European World Crafts Council (EWCC). Works are also to be shown that were made by organisations from the world of design and film: IED Barcelona Centre Superior de Disseny; Elisava Escola Universitària de Disseny i Enginyeria de Barcelona; and Escola de Cinema de Barcelona.
Off-festival events have also been scheduled for this third edition in the shape of two round tables – on 5 and 7 October at 5 p.m. – to discuss the interaction between film and craft: “Craftspeople as the stars of films” and “Craftspeople in the film industry”. Both can be followed on Artesania Catalunya’s Instagram Live channel (@artesaniacat).
The speakers at the “Craftspeople as the stars of films” round table will include the designer, art director and curator Elsa Yranzo, the creative director Sebastián Alberdi; the filmmaker Andrea Rigalós; and the director and producer, Nahuel Taján. Ghost and Pinocchio are perhaps some of the most well-known examples of films in which the main characters are craftspeople. Film and craft, and well-known fictional characters whose trade is linked to the world of craft will be discussed.
The speakers at the second round table, “Craftspeople in the film industry”, will include Pepi Sánchez from La Pescallunes, a wickerwork workshop; Montserrat Muntadas, a glasswork artist based in Canada; and Àlex Reig, a multidisciplinary artist who lives in Finland. Craftspeople who have worked on film productions (Twenty Years is Nothing, X-Men and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, respectively) will talk about their experiences in the world of film.
On Saturday 2 October, Artesania Catalunya with the support of the Design Museum of Barcelona will be putting on the Festival’s preview, in the shape of a gala, which will be attended by everybody who is to take part in this edition.
For further information visit: ccam.gencat.cat/mostra_audiovisuals/2021