Sewing Life

Youth (Spring)

November 2023 •Chinese

This film was shot between 2014 and 2019 in the town of Zhili, a district of Huzhou City in Zhejiang province, China. Zhili is home to over 18,000 privately-run workshops producing children's clothes, mostly for the domestic market, but some also for export. The workshops employ around 300,000 migrant workers, chiefly from the rural provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan and Jiangsu.

Small Wonders

April 2010 •English

Filmed over a span of ten years by Tally Abecassis, SMALL WONDERS makes us pay attention to the sorts of business we might not notice anymore. It tells the tale of true working class – a watchmaker, a photographer, and a hardware store owner. Their businesses don’t issue flyers. They don’t have light-up signs that have been carefully designed by a marketing firm. And if you think you’ll find a computer anywhere near their operation, forget it. In a way, they are relics of a bygone time…doing what they can to hold their places in communities that are ready to move on without them.

In Syrien auf Montage

October 1971 •German

The film is a reportage showing the help of workers from the GDR in the industrial reconstruction of Syria. We witness the friendly relationship between workers from both countries, who are jointly involved in the construction of the cotton spinning mill in Homs. In impressive pictures the exoticism of the environment and the mentality of the Syrian hosts is shown. At the same time it becomes clear that the workers from the GDR become 'ambassadors of the GDR' through their collegial behaviour and good work.

Traceable

September 2014 •English

Traceable follows Laura Siegel, a fashion designer who takes a critical look at the fashion supply chain and fast fashion industry, travels through India in order to meet and work together with the artisans who create the majority of the clothing that we wear. The film explores our growing disconnect of how and who makes our clothing, thus instilling a need for traceability in the fashion industry.

Tailor Made: The Story of Rochester's Garment Industry

February 2016 •English

WXXI captures the story of Rochester’s garment industry and the people who contributed to it in this documentary that showcases the rich history of Rochester’s clothing industry. From Michaels-Stern & Co. to the Button Factory, to Hickey Freeman, it tells of the clothiers who revolutionized the garment business and the immigrant workers who made Rochester a key player in the industry.

That Teen: The Movie

June 2025 •English

Four teens from around the world step off the path they were told to follow — and take the road less travelled.

People of the Night

February 2018 •English

In a haunting night, *Orang Malam* tells the story of Kimung, a man haunted by 750 years of solitude and the disappearance of his beloved Cempaka. He meets Dirah, a mysterious woman carrying her own burdens. Together, they share stories of heartbreak and injustice, confronting questions of fate and redemption. This poetic film explores memory, love, and resilience amidst despair. DOI: 10.5281/ZENODO.15477686

Kinokinokino

December 2023 •German

What was cinema in the past? What is cinema today? Hamburg filmmaker Dennis Albrecht asked himself these questions as he sifted through material he had been collecting since a project idea in 2008. Since then, he has repeatedly taken cameras into cinemas that no longer exist. He shot commercials, short films or events at the Grindel-Kino, Streit's, Rialto and Savoy and many other Hamburg movie theaters. In these personal perspectives, we see many cultural places that have disappeared.

Soldier’s Fortune

July 2002 •German

Documentary about the first German foreign deployment of German soldiers in Kosovo since the Second World War in 1995.

Mangas, une révolution française

December 2023 •French

2021 served as a revelation for the last holdouts: thanks to confinement and the “Culture Pass”, manga sales and streaming anime viewing hours have exploded. These are today the dominant cultural works among young people. In truth, the trend has already been present for at least ten years. However, not so long ago, criticisms were rife and politicians accused manga of all evils. For the first time, precursors and current generations, cartoonists and publishers, absolute fans and rappers speak about their passion for these comics from Japan.

Picturing Elizabeth: Her Life in Images

September 2022 •English

Sophie Raworth explores the stories behind some of the most famous and era-defining pictures of the Queen, and shows how they chart our changing relationship with the monarchy.

Elizabeth: Fashioning a Monarch

July 2023 •English

In this special tribute Fiona Bruce looks at how, across the decades, The Queen used her wardrobe to fashion a style that came to perfectly reflect her dedication to duty.

Viejo Hotel Ostende

December 2023 •Spanish

Mariano Llinás makes, at the request of the Viejo Hotel Ostende, a portrait of the Hotel's future over its 110 years of history

A Tribute to HRH Duke of Edinburgh

April 2021 •English

The remarkable life story of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, the man who stood beside the Queen for over 70 years. Featuring interviews with those who knew him best.

Les sentiers culturels

June 1985 •French

On sourira de nous

May 2022 •French

Four friends tired of protests are thinking about another way to shake up capitalist society. Driven by fiction, they decide to blow up a Brussels shopping center. How to think the attack? What roles do they need to play in order to imagine taking action? Is their friendship reconcilable with such a radical act?

5 Seasons of Revolution

October 2023 •Arabic

Lina’s plan was simple. She wanted to become a camerawoman. She liked filming details of life and people around her, mainly during a bright sunny day in Damascus. But with the uprising in Syria, Lina was slowly absorbed into documenting the impact on people’s lives. It didn’t take long before events escalated, and arrests, torture, and potentially life-threatening situations became a reality for Lina to negotiate on a daily basis. She had to adapt. She invented personas and aliases. They each helped her navigate life under a new norm. What was a simple plan, turned into a complex web of identities, which seemed then a small price in exchange for her liberty to continue to hold the camera.

L.A.P.A.

August 2007 •Portuguese

Documentary about the world of hip hop and the daily life of those who seek to survive from music in Brazil, all set in the traditional neighborhood of Lapa Carioca.

Diary of a Teenage Nudist

December 2004 •English

Documentary from the point of view of a now 18 year old girl who grew up in a nudist colony.

Throw Down Your Heart

December 2008 •English

A film crew follows the well-known banjo player Bela Fleck on his travels to Africa, where he learns about the instrument's origins.