Legend of the Loom (42 min; dvd; 2017; Bangladesh)

Researched and scripted by Saiful Islam, author of the book ‘Muslin. Our Story’, produced by Drik

 

This ground-breaking film is about the history of muslin. It takes the viewer on a breath-taking 2000-year-old journey; from the herbariums of the world, the rivers of Bengal where the plant (Gossypium Arboreum Var. Neglecta) grew, to the famous museums of Europe where the best examples of this fabric are stored.  It covers the story from the first foreigners to come to Bengal in search of its fine textiles, the establishment of empires and the opening of trade routes connecting the subcontinent to the wider world. Along the way, weavers, farmers, experts, designers, scientists and artisans give their views, and display techniques which make the story come alive