Gift(2019)

Storyline

• GIFT is a creative documentary inspired by Lewis Hyde's classic bestseller The Gift: "a brilliant defense of the value of creativity and its importance in a culture increasingly governed by money and overrun with commodities." RIchly cinematic and politically provocative, it follows character-driven stories: from the elaborate preparations for a Pacific Northwest potlatch to an unexpected gift of music at the Auckland Art Gallery, from an occupied factory in Rome protected by art, to the "pirate utopia" of Burning Man. Inspired by Lewis Hyde's classic The Gift: How the Creative Spirit Transforms the World, GIFT is a richly cinematic film, interweaving character-driven stories. On North America's Pacific Northwest Coast, a young Indigenous artist and carver undertakes the elaborate preparations for a potlatch: to make a name for himself by giving everything away. In Rome, Italy, a factory occupied by migrant families is transformed into a living museum, protected by a barricade of art : a model of resistance, and an invaluable gift. In the pirate utopia of Burning Man, a mutant bumblebee art car distributes honey in a post-apocalyptic desert landscape. Meanwhile, in Auckland, New Zealand, artist Lee Mingwei prepares to launch Sonic Blossom, a transformative gift of song. GIFT is a tribute to something that can't be measured or counted, bought or sold. Exploring the parallels between artists' work and a gift economy, it's a reflection on the creative process, the reasons we labour in service of our gifts, and the beauty and challenges of fearlessly giving and receiving. — Robin McKenna