The Pottery Maker

Art Lives Series: Joan Miro

January 1978 •English

With his seemingly naïve, symbolic paintings, Joan Miró formed a new artistic language in the 20th century. Brought up in Barcelona, the painter, graphic artist and sculptor was drawn to Paris and, under the influence of the surrealists, developed his unique style and poetic imagery that unite Catalan folk art and fantastic elements. Robin Lough followed the 85-year-old Miró to theatre rehearsals and went to see him in his studio on Majorca. There he met with an amazingly creative and disciplined artist, whose visionary pictures paved the way for abstract expressionism.

The English Potter

January 1933 •English

A short, silent documentary by Robert J. Flaherty about pottery in England.

Les plus grands peintres du monde : Joan Miró

May 2019 •French

Five Towns

January 1947 •English

A look at a family living in Stoke-on-Trent in the 1940's and what it's like working in the pottery factories that Stoke is famous for.

Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Delhi

February 1922 •English

The future Edward VIII enjoys a stately procession and visits the Taj Mahal before meeting senior Indian royalty.

The Pottery Makers

June 1965 •Spanish

Raymundo Gleyzer's documentary on o community of Pottery Makers in the west of Cordoba province in Argentina who create pieces to sell to the tourists.

The Renaissance of Mata Ortiz

September 2010 •English

The Emmy-winning story of how an American treasure hunter and a Mexican artist transformed a dying desert village into a home for world-class art.

Mati Manas

March 1985 •Hindi

In a poetic hour and a half, director Mani Kaul looks at the ancient art of making pottery from a wide variety of perspectives.

Living Art

May 2024 •Bengali

The thousand-year-old tradition of pottery in the Indian subcontinent is now under threat. With the market being flooded with plastic in the evolution of civilization, today this Pal community is becoming displaced.

Woven Songs of the Amazon

January 2007 •English

The Shipibo-Konibo people of Peruvian Amazon decorate their pottery, jewelry, textiles, and body art with complex geometric patterns called kené. These patterns also have corresponding songs, called icaros, which are integral to the Shipibo way of life. This documentary explores these unique art forms, and one Shipibo family's efforts to safeguard the tradition.

The inconceivable face

June 2023 •Spanish

A family of artisans opens the doors of their workshop to share their daily lives, their beliefs, and their struggle to preserve Mochica culture in the face of present-day challenges.

Stvořeno z hlíny

December 1950 •Czech

Document about folk ceramic products from Moravian Slovácko and Wallachia.

Joan Miró, the Inner Fire

January 2016 •French

The work of painter Joan Miró is more alive than ever 35 years after his death. Grandson Joan Punyet travels the world and paints the picture of his grandfather-seeker, for whom freedom in creation was a necessity. Miró was very attached to his homeland and this is regularly reflected in his often experimental concepts. Fellow artists talk about their collaboration with Miró and rare images show us the artist at work, right up to his last days.

Steph Jane - A Portrait Story

September 2019 •English

Through an intimate conversation, Steph Jane, age 28, shares the struggles and lessons her second diagnosis of stage-4 cancer has taught her. From being genuinely present and savouring simple moments to thoughts of the future and what really matters, Steph reveals beauty and wisdom which transcend appearance and years.

Artistas e Artesãos

January 1964 •Portuguese

Documentary about pottery from Barcelos.

[sound of subtitles]

October 2021 •English

Deaf artist Seo Hye Lee gives new subtitles to a selection of archive films about pottery, ones which playfully examine the disparity between how people with different levels of hearing experience art.

Art of the Potter

October 1971 •English

An examination of the art of pottery through the works of two world renowned potters –Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada. The film traces the entire process of pottery making, beginning with the digging of clay and its preparation, and on through the long sequences of pods being thrown on the wheel.

Ghost

July 1990 •English

After a young man is murdered, his spirit stays behind to warn his lover of impending danger, with the help of a reluctant psychic.

The Story of Peter and the Potter

January 1953 •English

In this short drama, Peter accidentally breaks a glass bowl intended as a birthday gift for his mother. Mr. and Mrs. Deichmann and their daughter Anneke, all artisans in clay, come to the rescue and make him one of their designs while Peter watches. Every stage, from the first turn of the potter's wheel to the final glazing and baking, is shown.

Between Us

May 1969 •Swedish

A man lives with his family in a small community. He is seen as a deviant, abnormal person by society.