Saturday 12 September, 2 - 5 p.m.: Documentary Screening, Panel Discussion and Pop-Up: Handmade Future at London Screen Academy

London Screen Academy, Ladbroke House, 62-66 Highbury Grove, London N5 2AG

Kirsten Dickerson brings decades of experience in social design and artisan advocacy to her directorial debut, HANDMADE FUTURE. With artisan relationships around the world, she champions regenerative practices that honour the people and places upholding the heritage and livelihoods of traditional communities and celebrate diversity.

Her experience ranges from being the CEO of an ethical fashion company and the president of a global women's empowerment nonprofit to founding a regenerative travel, design, and film company. Her inspired work has received many awards, such as B Corp and CLASSY, and is featured in multiple top-tier publications like the Huffington Post, Fast Company, Marie Claire, InStyle, Forbes, the New York Times, and the LA Times. She has been a keynote speaker, lecturer, and panel participant at noted conferences and events such as SXSW, the Fair Trade Federation, the Yellow Conference, and the DELL Women’s Entrepreneurial Network.

Celia Birchall is a designer and maker from the Cotswolds, England. She creates timeless clothing that tells the story of fabric from farm to garment. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, her work is guided by a belief in the integrity of materials, careful workmanship, and design rooted in craft. Working with British wool and Irish linen, she combines her love of land and fibres with thoughtful garment construction, committing to slow production and local supply chains. Each piece is made to last, carrying the story of its origin and making, and reflecting a respect for tradition and the quiet, enduring beauty of local textiles.

Event Description
HANDMADE FUTURE is a film that explores the beauty of traditional crafts and the struggle of the global craft sector to discover how artisans can save the world. Dually produced in the UK and USA, the documentary follows artisans in six countries preserving heritage, navigating the complex role of middlemen, and advancing responsible trade—pushing back against fast, cheap production to quietly restore a frayed world through beauty and human connection.

From rug weavers in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and block printers in India’s Golden Triangle to Appalachian broom makers in Kentucky and recycled-glass blowers in Kenya, The HANDMADE FUTURE documentary showcases craftspeople worldwide whose work carries generations of skill, culture and creativity. It considers the ethics, artistry and equity of the global craft economy—highlighting the beauty of handwork, the pressures makers face, and those determined to keep their traditions alive in a rapidly modernising world. The film reflects on how artisans might guide us towards a more sustainable, community-focused future.

The film's tone is reflective and personal, aiming to immerse the audience in the quiet dignity of traditional crafts. Our hope is that viewers leave the event not just informed, but inspired to reconsider the value of the things they hold in their hands. 

After the screening there will be a Q&A panel with the director, slow fashion designer, and other voices from within the ethical textile and fashion world, followed by an opportunity to shop pieces made by the artisans featured in the film.

Event Cancellation Policy
All bookings are non-refundable. However, if you let us know that you are unable to attend an event you have booked at least two weeks before the event, we will open up your place. If we find another participant, you will be offered a credit note.

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