The Magical Craftsmanship of Suzhou
Mondays, 6:30pm to 8pm Tuesdays, 11:30am to 1pm Thursdays and Sundays, 4:15pm to 6pm Fridays, 12pm to 11am Saturdays, 4pm to 6pm Thursday 28 July 2022 to Tuesday 2 August 2022
No screening on Friday.
"An eye-opening documentary about the ancient arts and crafts of Suzhou, China." (nycmovieguru)
The documentary The Magical Craftsmanship of Suzhou focuses on 12 representative artisans of Suzhou, who specialise in nine regional handicraft styles. They vary in age and area of expertise, but all have dedicated their lives to protecting and passing down these arts and crafts.
Apart from lantern making, the crafts portrayed include Songjin brocade, Su Embroidery, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Furniture and Suzhou Kesi etc. Some crafts skill like Olive Pit Carving began in the Spring and Autumn Period (BC.770-BC.476)
These styles only offer a sneak peek of Suzhou's intangible cultural heritage, as the city, since ancient times, has been a hub of folk crafts. It was listed by UNESCO in its Creative Cities Network in 2014 as a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Arts.
The Magical Craftsmanship of Suzhou director Sun Zengtian once said: 'East and West after all two different sources of civilisation. That’s why we need to understand and embrace each other more. Culture has no borders, the more diverse it is, the better it is. The more diverse, the better. Let us all share a world where different beauties and cultures can be appreciated."