Isolda Milenkovic

Warp and Weft is an animated documentary short film about traditional textile practices. Textile craft holds a unique position at the intersection of cultural practice and personal expression, of utility and decoration, this film came from the desire to explore the many forms that textiles take through animation, experimenting with different methods of bringing these two mediums together.

The process began with interviewing five female textile artists who practice traditional crafts including: weaving, knitting, cross-stitch, embroidery and dress-making. These interviews inspired animated visuals created using stop-motion techniques to bring the different textile mediums to life. The intention was to create a film that gave viewers the sensory experience of working with these materials, so they could almost feel they were touching the fabric themselves.

This film aims to express how much worth there is to be found in creating art by hand, and the importance of maintaining connection to these practices that have been part of our cultural history. The film also discusses how art practices that are viewed as ‘women’s work’ are often side-lined and looked down on. The director's hope is that this film shines a light on the incredible skill and artistic merit of these practices, and perhaps makes people reconsider the way that they view these artforms.