{"id":16775,"date":"2018-04-04T09:37:28","date_gmt":"2018-04-04T17:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/?post_type=blog&p=16775"},"modified":"2019-09-26T09:19:37","modified_gmt":"2019-09-26T17:19:37","slug":"shoes-wisely-stacey-tenenbaum-shines-light-age-old-profession","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/blog\/shoes-wisely-stacey-tenenbaum-shines-light-age-old-profession\/","title":{"rendered":"Shoes Wisely: Stacey Tenenbaum Shines a Light on an Age-Old Profession"},"content":{"rendered":"

Award-winning filmmaker Stacey Tenenbaum co-created a critically acclaimed series in Canada,\u00a0The Beat<\/strong><\/em>, <\/em>which followed a team of beat police officers patrolling the streets of Downtown Vancouver. Exchanging the police beat for shiny feet for her new film, Tenenbaum’s\u00a0The Art of the Shine\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/a>[premiering on Independent Lens<\/em>\u00a0Monday, April 9; check local listings<\/a>], travels from New York City to Tokyo to La Paz Bolivia, and beyond, in search of those artists with polish, those people who\u00a0found their true calling and passion in shoe shining, a way to be one\u2019s own boss and connect with other people from all walks of life.<\/p>\n

In this interview with The Gate<\/a>, Tenenbaum revealed that the shoe shine first captured her imagination “when she was on a six-month work placement in Mumbai, India in 1997. She would get her shoes shined every day by the same shiner. From that point on, she was hooked and fascinated.”<\/p>\n

“Full of poignant tales and offbeat characters, this investigation of the shoe-shining profession delivers all you could ask of the doc experience,” writes the Toronto Globe & Mail’s Kate Taylor<\/a>. “It’s informative, entertaining, poignant \u2013 and globe-trotting, too.”<\/p>\n

Tenenbaum talked to us the exhausting but exhilarating making of her quirky and joyous film.<\/p>\n

What led you to want to make a film about shoe shiners?<\/b><\/p>\n

I am made this film for all of the shoe shiners around the world who are made to feel inferior, who suffer being ignored, and who are looked down upon on a daily basis. Hopefully, it can help create some understanding of what they do and bring a level of respect to their trade.<\/p>\n

Who do you hope Art of the Shine\u00a0<\/em>can have an impact on?<\/b><\/p>\n

I hope it will inspire regular people to wear better shoes and to care for them through shoe shining. I also want to encourage them to notice shoe shiners, to respect the trade, and to connect with their shiners as fellow human beings. Ideally, this film will bring dignity to the trade and encourage the general population to respect and treat all the people who serve them with kindness.<\/p>\n

I would also like to raise awareness, and possibly money, for the shoe shiners in Bolivia that live in constant shame because of the job they do.<\/p>\n

\"\u00a0Masked

Masked shiners in La Paz<\/p><\/div>\n

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in making the film? Geography?<\/b><\/p>\n

The biggest challenge was definitely in La Paz [Bolivia] because of the altitude. I had terrible altitude sickness – so that made filming really difficult. By the end, I was on oxygen and an IV drip. It was the toughest shoot I have ever done. It was also difficult emotionally because the shiners in La Paz are so ashamed to shine shoes that they wear masks so their friends and neighbors won\u2019t know they do the job. So that was very sad. At the same time, I was also really inspired by the shiners I met there and their dedication to the job and to each other. It really is a brotherhood.<\/p>\n

“I always tell people that a shoe shine is only demeaning if the client makes it that way.”<\/pullquote>How did you infiltrate the secret world of shoe shiners, and get them to trust you?<\/b><\/p>\n

I went for a lot of shoe shines! I think that the shiners could feel how much I loved and respected their craft and that made a big difference in gaining their trust.<\/p>\n

Every shiner I spoke with was eager to participate in the film. I think they were really surprised somebody was interested enough in the job to make a film about shoe shiners.<\/p>\n

What would you have liked to include in your film that didn\u2019t make the cut?<\/b><\/p>\n

I would have liked to include more about the economics of the shoe shine. Kevin from The Shoeshine Guild [formerly Shine & Co.] talked a lot about the fact that a shoe shine in NY has not gone up in price for years \u2013 people only want to pay $5 and some don\u2019t even tip on top of that. There is no cost of living increase for shoe shiners. Kevin\u2019s idea is to use better products and educate his customers on the value of a shoe shine so they can see the value in paying more for this service. He hopes that other shiners will do the same.<\/p>\n

\"New

New York shoeshiner Don Ward<\/p><\/div>\n

I would have also liked to dive more deeply into the class and race issues that are wrapped up in shoe shining and to explore why people are so uncomfortable about getting this service. They are not uncomfortable to get a manicure or a haircut but when it comes to shoeshines it\u2019s a different story.<\/p>\n

Do you have a scene in your film that is especially a favorite or made the most impact on you?<\/b><\/p>\n

I kind of love the whole story we shot in Sarajevo. You could just feel the love that the city had for this shoe shiner who shined their shoes during the war. He was able to give them a sense of normalcy. and even make them laugh, in what was an incredibly dark time. \u00a0It just shows how a person doing a seemingly small job can have a huge impact.<\/p>\n

What did you discover making this film that surprised you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I think the thing which surprised me the most was that shoe shining is actually an opportunity to bring the classes together. I had never thought of it that way until I started doing this film and talking to shoe shiners about their experiences. I found out that many clients talk with their shiners and even develop friendships with them which completely transcend class.<\/p>\n

It is the exact opposite of what people think. Most people when they see a shoe shine think it exacerbates the class divide since the client sits above the shoe shiner and will often ignore the person at their feet.<\/p>\n

I think that\u2019s why a lot of people are uncomfortable with getting their shoes shined. They think they are sparing the shoe shiner some sort of indignity by not getting their shoes shined. When you think about it, what they are really doing is depriving the shiner of a living wage just so they can feel better about themselves for not looking down on the lower classes.<\/p>\n

I always tell people that a shoe shine is only demeaning if the client makes it that way.<\/p>\n