Springhammer

This is the Ottawa debut of SpringHammer, a maker’s film by Kevin Kossowan, selected for the EIFF and Relish Film Festival. Through interviews, cultural pieces and working footage Kossowan explores the past, present and future situations of blacksmithing in Japan.

Edmonton’s Kevin Kossowan has written, filmed, directed, edited and scored the film. Rad music for sure.

The idea behind the 48-minute film came about when Kevin Kent, the founder of Knifewear, met Kevin Kossowan. Kent visits Japan a few times a year, and invited Kossowan along to film some of the blacksmith workshops where Kent sources the knives he sells in Canada. Kossowan interviewed and filmed eight blacksmiths at work, as well as Master Knife Sharpener Shibata San from Masakage.

Oh yeah, and more on the filmmaker. Kossowan is a financial planner-turned-documentary filmmaker. He’s also one cool dude, which is why we’re happy to call him a friend. He grows his own vegetables, and he makes his own cider. And he isn’t afraid to go half-way across the world to follow around a bunch of guys with steel and fire.

Tickets: $10

Presented by Knifewear, Ottawa’s kitchen knife store