Basel Tattoo 2015

The Way of the Ink

August 2011 •French

Horitoshi Sensei is one of the last accomplished masters of irezumi, the art of traditional Japanese tattoo. Pascal is a young French journalist specialized in tattoo who discovered Horitoshi’s designs in a magazine and felt in love with them. Although he does not have much money, Pascal decided to go to Tokyo to have all his back tattooed by Horitoshi. When the film starts, he is at his fourth trip, but his tattoo is far from being finished. Pascal is our guide in this travel to discover irezumi.

Tattoos: A Scarred History

June 2009 •English

An exploration of how the once taboo art form has become socially acceptable.

Prey for Rock & Roll

September 2003 •English

In late 1980s Los Angeles, Jacki and her all-girl punk rock band, Clam Dandy, are trying to make it big. On the verge of turning 40, Jacki decides that if the band's one last shot at the big time is unsuccessful, she will give up her dreams of stardom.

The Crazy Life

September 2008 •Spanish

Reflects a depressing and hopeless reality by following some of the members of "la dieciocho", the so-called 18th Street gang in a poor San Salvador neighborhood.

Literary Ink: A Wizard’s Journey

December 2020 •English

In March 2018, elite tattoo artists from across the globe came together in Chattanooga, Tennessee to celebrate the intersection of literary fantasy and artistic magic at the inaugural Literary Ink convention. “Literary Ink: A Wizard’s Journey” explores the lives, dreams, techniques and artistic inspiration of four of these Tattoo Wizards.

Basel Tattoo 2022

December 2022 •German

The Suburbans

October 1999 •English

The Suburbans, a one-hit-wonder new wave band from the '80s, reunite at their bassist's wedding, where a promising young record executive sees the ensemble perform. When she encourages them to launch a revival, the group must weigh their dreams of fame and fortune against the reality of their relatively quiet domestic lives.

TATTOO: A Celebration Of Body Art

December 1994 •English

Documentary based on interviews during the Birmingham Tattoo Convention in the early '90s.

D'Inked: A Tattoo Removal Documentary

December 2017 •English

D'Inked is a documentary about the development of laser tattoo removal technology and how it has changed the culture of tattoos. The film follows a man named Jake on his 5-year journey through the process of removing a full color half sleeve tattoo. The film also features interviews with prominent figures in the tattoo and laser removal communities discussing the technological, physical and ethical realities of removing what has always been considered a definition of permanent.

Basel Tattoo 2013

June 2013 •German

Modify

January 2006 •English

Stories of people who regard augmenting their bodies as a way of life, whether for artistic reasons or out of pure vanity.

Basel Tattoo 2008

July 2008 •German

Basel Tattoo 2012

August 2012 •German

Homo ErecTattoos

September 2020 •Korean

A terrible accident leaves a young soldier horribly scarred, but his rediscovery of art heals his wounded soul, in this brief but powerful animated documentary.

Patutiki the Guardians of The Marquesan Tattoo

October 2020 •French

First-time feature filmmakers Heretu Tetahiotupa, Christophe Cordier delve into the ritual art of Marquesan tattoo, sharing its cultural and historical significance by reenacting the past and challenging the present.

Strange Life: The Breech

June 1998 •English

A collection of footage and interviews with strange people and their exploration into the unusual and extreme side of body modification.

Suspension: The Ultimate Body Experience

February 1999 •English

A look into the world of body piercing and suspension and the people who do it.

Tatoué percé...Ceci est mon corps

June 2009 •French

The Man Whose Mind Exploded

June 2014 •English

In this "beautifully intimate and utterly unique piece of cinema", Toby Amies crosses the line between filmmaker and carer, trying to cope with the strange and hilarious world view of the fragile eccentric, Drako Zarharzar. A love story. Drako Oho Zaraharzar can remember modeling for Salvador Dali and hanging out with The Stones. But he can’t remember yesterday. Following a severe head injury, Drako Zaraharzar suffers from terrible memory loss, he can access memories from before his accident, but can’t imprint new ones. As he puts it, “the recording machine in my head doesn’t work”. Consequently, and as an antidote to depression he chose to live “completely in the now” according to the bizarre mottoes delivered to him whilst in a coma.

Signatures of the Soul

October 1984 •English

Tattooing — "the world's oldest skin game" — is the subject of this iconic documentary. Writer/director Geoff Steven scored a major coup by signing Easy Rider legend Peter Fonda as his presenter. Travelling to Aotearoa, Samoa, Japan and the United States, the doco traces key developments in tattooing, including its importance in the Pacific, prison-inspired styles, and the influence of 1960s counterculture. Legendary tattooists feature (including Americans Ed Hardy and Jack Rudy), while the closing credits parade some eye-opening full body tattoos.