Published exclusively in this site on 15 June 2011.
The Chinese Documentary Festival 2011 is screening a selection of handpicked films at the agnès b. CINEMA from now until 9 July 2011. A variety of documentaries, from political to commercial, is being showcased, and as a shoe-loving girl I look forward to watching My Fancy High Heels, directed by Ho Chao-ti of Taiwan.
Ho Chao-ti's films usually focus on controversial topics such as the costs of globalisation, which are directly inspired by her journalism background. This story in particular is about the birth of luxury heels, from butchering the calves near the China-Russia border to the glamorous displays at lavishing shoe stores in New York. In this documentary, she attempts to explore issues on animal cruelty, labour exploitation, and uneven wealth distribution. I have seen globalisation explained through the making of a suit, but heels would certainly be a subject closer to heart.
The film is in a mix of Mandarin and English with subtitles, and tickets for its screening on 26 June 2011 and 3 July 2011 are available from Urbtix. If you are itching to witness the life cycles of Jimmy Choos, Christian Louboutins, and Manolo Blahniks, take a quick peek at its trailer here.
The documentary has a bit of a shock factor in it, much like Food, Inc. After watching the film you would probably never want to wear another pair of leather shoes again. Even if you decide to opt for vegan shoes, this Shoes of Prey's elaborate diagram will still be useful for us heels amateurs who don't know how to describe what we want precisely with a lack of shoe vocabulary. Next time you pick up a pair of heels, spare a thought on the people and the calves behind it.