Films

Recently I've spotted a couple of interesting films about letterpress printing and the stories behind it. I'm excited to see that the interest towards this authentic but (until last couple of years) almost forgotten craftmanship is rising.

1. Typeface. Kartemquin Films. 2010



Typeface focuses on a rural Midwestern museum and print shop where international artists meet retired craftsmen and together navigate the convergence of modern design and traditional technique. This film will be of interest to art and graphic design enthusiasts, to teachers as an educational resource, and to anyone looking for a film about perseverance and preservation in the heart of America.
You can order the Limited Edition Typeface dvd, it features extra scenes and a letterpressed woodtyped poster designed by Hamilton Wood Type Museum. Typeface is also available on iTunes. The film will also soon be available on Amazon VOD and Netflix. And one more thing! The creators of Typeface film came up with an inventive idea - they launched a Screening Request map tool to help fans bring this beautiful film in their city/country. I already voted for Ghent, so I hope it will come in Belgium one day :)

2. Linotype.

Linotype: The Film Trailer from Linotype: The Film on Vimeo.

Linotype is a documentary about Ottmar Mergenthaler's amazing Linotype typesetting machine and the people who own and love these machines today. Directed by Doug WIlson. Can't wait to see it when it is out.
p.s. I've seen the Linotype machine in action at the MIAT museum. Quite impressive.

3. Proceed and Be Bold! 20K Films. 2008



Proceed and Be Bold! is a documentary about American letterpress printer and artist Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. The film documents Kennedy’s racially and socially-charged posters, and it communicates his serious commitment to tradition and the handmade object.