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Countdown to Couch Fest #1 - Swedish Filmmaker Anna Linder Says H&M and Cheap Things Destroy Our Culture #indiefilm
Friday, October 19, 2012 at 12:03PM In the coming weeks on November 10th, movie lovers around the world will gather in strangers homes, art galleries and related alternative venues, for the 2012 Couch Fest.
While operating as an annual event that prides itself on showcasing the most mind-blowing selection of short films that the indie circuit has to offer, Couch Fest is being brought to you via a small, yet, dedicated army of 40+ Hosts who are screening the festival's lineup at more than one dozen places across the country and beyond borders -- from San Diego, CA and Cleveland, OH to Moscow, Iceland, Ampsterdam and Staten Island, NY. Yours truly is even bringing Couch Fest to Philadelphia, PA. Since I don't have a couch, however, the Philly screening will take place at a video rental store.
This post marks the official launch of my Countdown to Couch Fest campaign -- a selection of brief, yet, randomly outrageous and sometimes insightful interviews that I conducted with many of the directors behind the films being featured at this year's Couch Fest lineup and will be publishing semi-daily between the regularly scheduled Monday Movie Meme and King Dong programs until Saturday, November 10, 2012!
So sit back, grab some popcorn or your favorite candy, and find out what goes on in the minds of our world's award-winning filmmakers. First up in my countdown is a filmmaker named Anna Linder who hails from Stockholm, Sweden and directed the short film “13 Related Sewing Machines.”
On Sunday, she made it clear to me that contrary to what I thought this movie was about -- mechanical observations or historical accounts of the manufacturing industry or maybe the assembly process of a particular clothing line, her short film is actually meant to touch on something deeper, personal and meaningful -- the work of unseen women battling with insecurities.
Madlab Post: Does this film celebrate sewing machines or the beautiful products (fashions) that they produce?
Anna Linder: It´s a piece for all the women behind it – all my relatives and all other who use it! 13 Related Sewing Machines is a part of an ongoing work about the invisible labour of women; “I can’t hear the sound of your sewing machine anymore” is a tribute to my mother, grandmother and to all the women who suffer from a constant bad conscience for not being good enough.
Can you sew? If so, what was the last thing that you made using a sewing machine?
Yes I can – tomorrow, I will repair my jeans and before that I think I used it in my performance: I'm Making this Sparetime useful by not Making Waste Performance, 2010, 2-8 hours, 4-8 channels. The performance is a way to use time for important work. I am repairing, taking care of my textiles and my clothes. I don´t want to buy new things anymore. I hate H&M and all cheap things that destroy our culture and the worlds economy. It is also a way to show some concentrated work and let people be in my world of focus.
How did you secure your props for this movie?
All the sewing machines belong to the women in the film and it was really important that they chose ongoing projects to work on (nothing fejk) and they also chose the clothes and (it’s) funny -- they look really staged but its not at all – I decided the white look of course but the rest just proves they thought about how to look in front of the camera together with the thing they sew on for the film :)
Thank you Anna Linder, May you have fun while visiting Canada this week!
“13 Related Sewing Machines” is playing at select homes on Saturday, November 10th at the 2012 Couch Fest.
I could probably do some small repairs on clothing but I’m not the one to go to if you want a custom-made holiday sweater or newborn baby outfit. So tell me...
Can YOU sew?
When was the last time YOU used a sewing machine?
Reader Comments (2)
Very intriguing interview.
I can not sew. I can do tiny repairs with a hand needle and thread, but I'm not the one to ask for a new pair of mittens.
Actually, the only time I ever used a sewing machine was for Home Economics nearly a lifetime ago in high school.
The closest I get to sewing is fixing buttons and the odd pants belt loop that comes undone. I'm terrible when it comes to tasks like sewing. And cooking. And higher mathematics. But hey, we all have our weaknesses ;-)