DIRECTOR: ANOUSKA SAMMS & SOPHIA PANCUCCI McQUEEN
Tucked away in the corner of an industrial estate in the East End of London is a steam baths where men meet to wash, eat and chat. Visited daily by culturally diverse communities, it’s where bathing rituals intertwine and collective memories are forged.
Made by two female filmmakers, ‘The Baths’ explores masculinity in this unique setting and invites us to observe often unseen cultural traditions and social interactions.
The film's haptic imagery - inspired by Laura Marks' ideas of haptic visuality - creates a powerfully visceral experience for viewers, making them feel like they are sat in the baths and experiencing the space's extreme conditions. Whether disorientated through the use of Go-Pro in claustrophobic steam rooms or sat uncomfortably close to naked men, viewers are sensorily engaged throughout by the filmic image and are thus given the opportunity to experience documentary filmmaking differently.
FORMAT: DIGITAL
