Langholm Made artist Emma Dove has assembled a programme of short films, spanning 1945 to the present day, which observe and celebrate the roles played by women across the weaving and textile industries in the UK and worldwide - from mill workers to garment makers, ‘waulkers’ to home menders, hand weavers and textile recyclers.
‘infinite hands’ brings together films from the British Film Institute’s ‘Textiles on Film’ collection, paired with contemporary films from the UK, Myanmar and India. Together they explore themes of labour, industry and mechanisation, camaraderie and teamwork, shifting attitudes, gendered roles and worker’s rights, material culture, fast fashion, recycling, industrial decline and overseas labour.
Further information about the film programme available here
↓ Click the tabs on the right to read a description of each individual film below ↓
Although the 'infinite hands' film programme is no longer available, this film can also be watched here
This wartime information film was put together as part of the ‘make do and mend’ campaign, which in part hoped to encourage people to recycle old clothes, as new materials became a scarce commodity. The theme of camaraderie runs strong here, not just between families and communities, but also extending to the very clothes they wear, as garments in the wardrobe come to life with swift, pose-like movements - raising legs and shrugging arms - accompanied by useful suggestions, “Well if the youngster wants some shorts, I don’t mind being cut down.”
The onus here is of course on women, particularly the mother of the family - it is she who recognises her responsibility to repair or rework the family’s garments, though thankfully her old clothes (and her local Technical Institute) are always there to offer a bit of advice!
This film is also available via BFI Player's ‘Textiles on Film’ series
- Year1945
- Runtime1 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited Kingdom
- RatingPG
- NoteThemes: WWII, rationing, animation, artist moving image, government sponsored film, clothes, recycling, reusing, household, family, camaraderie
- DirectorWWII government sponsored film
Langholm Made artist Emma Dove has assembled a programme of short films, spanning 1945 to the present day, which observe and celebrate the roles played by women across the weaving and textile industries in the UK and worldwide - from mill workers to garment makers, ‘waulkers’ to home menders, hand weavers and textile recyclers.
‘infinite hands’ brings together films from the British Film Institute’s ‘Textiles on Film’ collection, paired with contemporary films from the UK, Myanmar and India. Together they explore themes of labour, industry and mechanisation, camaraderie and teamwork, shifting attitudes, gendered roles and worker’s rights, material culture, fast fashion, recycling, industrial decline and overseas labour.
Further information about the film programme available here
↓ Click the tabs on the right to read a description of each individual film below ↓
Although the 'infinite hands' film programme is no longer available, this film can also be watched here
This wartime information film was put together as part of the ‘make do and mend’ campaign, which in part hoped to encourage people to recycle old clothes, as new materials became a scarce commodity. The theme of camaraderie runs strong here, not just between families and communities, but also extending to the very clothes they wear, as garments in the wardrobe come to life with swift, pose-like movements - raising legs and shrugging arms - accompanied by useful suggestions, “Well if the youngster wants some shorts, I don’t mind being cut down.”
The onus here is of course on women, particularly the mother of the family - it is she who recognises her responsibility to repair or rework the family’s garments, though thankfully her old clothes (and her local Technical Institute) are always there to offer a bit of advice!
This film is also available via BFI Player's ‘Textiles on Film’ series
- Year1945
- Runtime1 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited Kingdom
- RatingPG
- NoteThemes: WWII, rationing, animation, artist moving image, government sponsored film, clothes, recycling, reusing, household, family, camaraderie
- DirectorWWII government sponsored film