America The Beautiful

Magic Molecule

January 1964 •English

This short documentary introduces us to the colorful and versatile world of plastics. Transmuted from coal, oil or wood, synthetic substances can make thousands of new products, from silk threads to furniture.

Mountain Girl

March 2024 •English

Reflections on life and her journey by Diane - a retired model and a star of a cult classic horror film "Manos: the Hands of Fate".

Comrade Couture

February 2009 •German

This film undertakes a journey into the amazing parallel universe of East Berlin’s fashion designers and experts in the art of survival. For, in the midst of the constraints of life in the GDR, there existed a fantasy world where it was possible to dance to another tune, be individual and even provocative. The most important characteristic of this bohemian scene was one’s per- sonal style. But this certainly wasn’t something that could be bought off the peg in the GDR. In this parallel universe it was up to you to create your own individual image – with your own hands. This film tells the story of the desires, the passion and the dreams that were tried and tested, lived and performed in the shadow of the Berlin Wall.

Pop féminisme : des militantes aux icônes pop

November 2020 •French

An overview of 21st-century feminism through the lens of pop culture.

Bill Cunningham New York

March 2011 •English

Doubling as a cartography of the ever-changing city, Bill Cunningham New York portrays the secluded pioneer of street fashion with grace and heart.

S.W.A.L.K. II

October 2020 •English

John Galliano, Nick Knight and SHOWstudio continue their creative partnership, revealing the Maison Margiela S/S 21 co-ed collection. S.W.A.L.K first began with the opening up of the Margiela Atelier, following the creation of the A/W 20 artisanal collection. This second chapter revives a distant memory of tango dancers in Buenos Aires, whilst realising a bewitching proposal for the marriage of the Maison's artisanal and ready-to-wear lines via a fashion film cum documentary and a series of stills.

The Costume Designer

July 1950 •English

This short focuses on the job of the costume designer in the production of motion pictures. The costume designer must design clothing that is correct for the film historically and geographically, and must be appropriate for the mood of the individual scene. We see famed costume designer Edith Head at work on a production. The Costume Designer was part of The Industry Film Project, a twelve-part series produced by the film studios and the Academy. Each series episode was produced to inform the public on a specific facet of the motion picture industry. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2012.

The Mysterious Mr. Lagerfeld

April 2023 •English

A look at the fashion icon that was Karl Lagerfeld, one of the most flamboyant and recognisable figures in fashion - and one of the most mysterious. His influence was immeasurable, from the Chanel catwalk to the high street - but how many people ever really knew the real Karl Lagerfeld? Weaving investigations in the present with Lagerfeld’s biography – illustrated by illuminating and much unseen archive footage – this film shows his profound and lasting effect on those around him, including his beloved cat Choupette.

Fashion Film

October 2019 •Portuguese

Anna Piaggi: Fashion Visionary

June 2016 •Italian

The world of fashion, between the end of the Sixties and the beginning of the Noughties, had a key character that embodied its spirit and told the tale: journalist Anna Piaggi, living witness of that contamination between art, society and culture that changed fashion and sanctioned its success on a global scale. The daughter of a manager for La Rinascente (Milan's iconic high-end shopping mall whose foundation goes back to 1865), Karl Lagerfeld's muse, "a poet with her clothes" in the words of Bill Cunningham, her life is retraced through interviews with designers (Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Stephen Jones, Manolo Blahnik, and more) together with archival images from four decades of fashion history.

White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch

April 2022 •English

All the cool kids were wearing it. This documentary explores A&F's pop culture reign in the late '90s and early 2000s and how it thrived on exclusion.

Roxette

June 1978 •English

Documentary profiling young Roxy Music fans. They talk about the band and the music, are seen out and about in Manchester, they prepare for a concert at the Opera House. Includes footage of a tribute band, who, due to a lack of musical instruments, use household appliances to make music.

The Good Life

November 2010 •English

Proper doesn't have to mean prim: Alice Hawkins gives the bourgeoisie mood of the Autumn/Winter 2010 collections a terribly British spin in a tongue-in-chic ode to Margot Leadbetter, Beverly Moss and quintessentially English class consciousness.

Mrs. Peanut Visits New York

September 1999 •English

A video portrait of the legendary late performance artist, fashion designer and nightlife icon Leigh Bowery. Atlas's camera follows Bowery as he flamboyantly strolls through Manhattan's Meatpacking District, outrageously costumed in a self-made reinterpretation of "Mr. Peanut," the Planter's Peanut mascot. Bowery's molded full-bodysuit, accessorized with a floral print dress, top hat and transparent-heeled platform shoes, draws stares from onlookers. Peanut-related pop songs accompany him on the soundtrack.

Walk the Tideline

April 2021 •Finnish

The movie follows today’s beachcombers in Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Japan. The same endless piles of trash left by humans cover all the shores. Our shared ocean is loaded with time travelers made of plastic, the fruit of our throwaway culture and our indifference. They are the seeds of destruction, as they end up in the entrails of creatures living in the sea. Most of the beachcombers share the same worries about the environment. Beside the plastic trash, many travelers drift between continents, such as various plants’ seeds. Like all species, they look for new living environments where they could survive on a warming planet.

Dries

June 2017 •German

For the first time fashion designer Dries Van Noten allows a filmmaker to accompany him in his creative process and rich home life. For an entire year Reiner Holzemer documents the precise steps that Dries takes to conceive of four collections, the rich fabrics, embroidery and prints exclusive to his designs. As well as the emblematic fashion shows that bring his collections to the world and have become cult “must sees” at Paris Fashion Week. This film offers an insight into the life, mind and creative heart of a master fashion designer who, for more than 25 years, has remained independent in a landscape of fashion consolidation and globalization.

The Rebel Surgeon

March 2017 •Swedish

Portrayal of a surgeon who feels stifled by Swedish bureaucracy and relocates to Ethiopia to practice medicine. In a small field hospital, with limited resources, he uses anything at hand to help the patients.

Sustainable Style

March 2024 •English

A look into the world of sustainable fashion with Emma Gorton-Elicott the owner of Fruit Salad, a Bristol based independent sustainable & slow fashion business. Emma discusses the difference between slow and sustainable fashion and what you can do to curate a sustainable wardrobe.

Toypunks

May 2008 •English

Toypunks is a documentary film series covering the converging world of Japanese toys, fashion and punk rock. Exploring the birth of the designer vinyl explosion from its roots in character culture and punk music, Toypunks takes you in-depth with Japanese fashion icon, Hikaru Iwanaga, creator of the worlds first designer toy. Frank Kozik, Hiddy Kinoshita of Secret Base, Balzac, Three Tides Tattoo and more are interviewed highlighting profound cross-cultural connections between todays top creative talents in toys and fashion.

Erte

January 1980 •English

A biography of Erte, the early 20th century Russian artist and designer known for his glamorous opera sets, jewelry, costumes, and graphic arts. Narrated by Diana Vreeland.