A Feature Documentary
Synopsis
At the edge of a village, beyond the bustle of the town square, just before the road rises into the hills where homes are nestled in the forest, is a tiny cobbler’s shop that has been there for as long as anyone can recall.
A small sign saying Shoe Service hangs over an open doorway. The windows face the street, and on a sunny day light streams into a room with little place to stand. The smell and sounds within conspire with the sight of piles of shoes of every kind, everywhere, confirming the presence of a timeless trade. No one is at the counter, yet there is an aura of activity.
And sure enough, if you peer through the haphazard shelves towards the tapping, a wiry man with silver hair and hammer in hand, is at a cluttered workbench setting a new heel on an old shoe. He is surrounded by footwear in various states of disrepair; an endless procession of unfinished work. Yet his calm, cheerful demeanor reveals no sense of urgency, as if elves might appear in the still of night to assist him.
In the Cobbler’s Shoes follows Misak Pirinjian as he talks with his clients about their shoes and repairs them. The film captures the special nature of his interactions and his amazing skill in revitalizing the most tired of footwear.
Misak’s appreciative clients bring their favorite old shoes begging for renewal. Some just stop in to converse. All receive a heartfelt welcome and a master’s care.
Even the most disgruntled people seem to forget their nature in his presence. They appreciate his skill, but also his contagious friendliness; never making himself or anyone else uncomfortable. What is his secret? And how does he find their shoes without names or tags?
In the Cobbler’s Shoes presents an amazing range of people who visit Misak’s shoe repair shop; we discover how one man in a simple, yet important trade, impacts the life of a village.
Treatment
In the Cobbler’s Shoes is an observational film about Misak Pirinjian, son of a shoemaker who took on his father’s trade over twenty-five years ago. Misak has a unique perspective. The legendary University of San Francisco soccer star with a law degree humbly repairs footwear, including shoes that no one else would touch for their sad state, often for prices so embarrassingly low that patrons insist on paying more than he asks.
He works within an affluent community, yet touches the lives of customers from all realms. In the Cobbler’s Shoes reveals a fascinating universe surviving steps away from the stress of the city. We learn how one man approaches his simple service to his community, discovering what called him from a corporate world to an ancient trade.
The documentary was filmed in high definition video, for both small and large screens. Most of the production is within the shoe repair shop in Mill Valley, with additional exteriors of the beautiful village and surrounding landscapes. The key interview provides commentary from Misak, however the film presents activities and conversations in his shop.
