Brigitte Bardot, Gucci and other stories that unite cinema and fashion

BarcelonaHow does the son of Mallorcan farmers manage to walk the runway at New York Fashion Week and be considered John Galliano's successor? Why does this protégé of the fashion press end up thrown to the wolves? We asked ourselves these same questions in this very newspaper exactly eleven years ago in the wake of Call it a balance in the unbalance (2011). An epic story with a dramatic ending in which Regine Lettner delves, through the experiences of designer Miguel Adrover, into an industry capable of destroying myths as quickly as it builds them. This documentary was part of the first edition of Moritz Feed Doc, Barcelona's international film and fashion festival, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year by, coincidentally, revisiting the fascinating and enigmatic figure of Adrover. On this occasion, it does so through The designer is dead (2025), a documentary by Gonzalo Hergueta focusing on the life and artistic trajectory of one of the most consistent and radical personalities in contemporary fashion. This Adrover is the same Adrover who, more than two decades ago, was already speaking about sustainability and multiculturalism, when these concepts were not yet widely understood. mainstreamThis is similar to how, a few months ago, he refused to dress Rosalía de Lux because the singer wasn't using her platform to denounce the Palestinian genocide. For Adrover, fashion should be understood not only as a cultural artifact but also as a political one.

Indeed, presenting fashion as a multifaceted discipline, sometimes gentle, sometimes sharp, remains the essence of this festival, which kicks off this Tuesday at the Mooby Bosque cinemas in Barcelona and runs until March 22. Aside from a subtle name change—the old Feed Dog, which referred to a sewing machine part, has been transformed into Feed Doc, aiming to enrich the audiovisual landscape of fashion—the festival returns with several new features. "To celebrate our tenth anniversary, we wanted to do a retrospective, and who better than Reiner Holzemer, a key figure in contemporary fashion cinema?" says Toni Sánchez, the new director of Moritz Feed Doc. That's why the opening event will be led by... AKRIS. Fashion with a heritage(2025), where Holzemer explores the balance between tradition, craftsmanship, and innovation at this Swiss luxury brand. In honor of the German filmmaker, familiar faces from the festival will return to the big screen, such as Dries (2016), an ode to the exquisiteness of Belgian Dries Van Noten, and the eloquent Martin Margiela. In his own words (2019), which will be complemented by a piece from Italian video artist Yuri Ancarani dedicated to the iconic Tabi shoe by the Belgian designer. In addition, the following will also be screened Thom Browne. The man who tailors dreams (2024), about the charismatic creator of this New York brand, and two medium-length films focused on photographers Juergen Teller and William Eggleston.

Beyond the Holzemer constellation, other names shine brightly within the program, which approaches thirty titles. This is the case with Gucci. Luxury, drame te volupté (2025)where Olivier Nicklaus reviews the tumultuous history of the Italian house, and of Bardot (2025), a documentary by Alain Berlin about the actress and singer Brigitte Bardot, one of the sex symbols of the 1960s, who at the height of her fame decided to disappear from the public eye and embrace the animal rights cause. The name of Eleanor also shines. Bunny Yeager, the photographer with a past of pin-up which was discovered by the legendary Bettie Page, as explained in Naked ambition (2023). In addition, it is worth highlighting relevant names at the state level such as that of the designer David Delfín, who died prematurely, whose legacy is being celebrated in Show your wound (2025), and documentaries such as The hands that sew (2025), where Itxaso Diaz gives voice and face to a series of workers from the historic Balenciaga workshops, witnesses of a past that will never return.

Identity, responsible consumption, sustainability, and craftsmanship are once again prominent themes in the festival's program, which is as kaleidoscopic as the discipline itself. This year's program includes titles such as African styles (2023), on the emergence of talents from this continent in the international circuit; Lace relations (2025), on the connection between Lagos and Austria because of the blonde, and Youth (gard times) and Youth (homecoming), by Wang Bing, which close a trilogy that focuses on the microcosm of a Chinese textile factory; in addition to gems like Teenage (2013), inspired by Jon Savage's book of the same name about the creation of youth culture. "Although the festival's DNA is fashion documentaries, we want the programming to become increasingly diverse and open to more formats," explains Sánchez. These aren't just intentions; they're already finished. This edition will also feature Couture (2025), a film starring Angelina Jolie and set in the world of Parisian fashion; to revive a classic like Funny face (1957), with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire, and watch the first two chapters of the docuseries Kingdom of dreams (2022) on the big screen. The festival director is also a proponent of creating synergies with the city's creative fabric – "capillaries," he says – and this has been evident in the promotional campaign for this edition of the festival, featuring young talents. Made in BarcelonaIt also wants to strengthen ties with fashion schools, which is why a screening has been rescheduled. fashion films Made by students from Elisava, IED, and LCI. However, Sánchez's biggest challenge is ensuring that the Moritz Feed Doc is no longer just a spring flower. "We don't want to return in March 2027. Throughout the year, we want to keep doing things, leaving the festival's mark on the city, because we want to establish a strong presence and then grow globally."