Art of the Shine
Meet the men and women who make their living cleaning our shoes. From New York to Tokyo and beyond, The Art of the Shine travels the world to give you an insider’s view of this overlooked profession. People around the world have turned to shoe shining to provide for themselves and their families. These are their stories.
The Art of the Shine delves into the lives of shoe shiners around the world giving you an insider’s view of this often ignored profession. From the brash street shiners of New York City, to the masked shoe shine boys of La Paz, The Art of the Shine travels the world to show you what it means to be a shoe shiner. The film will introduce you to the people who do this job and allow you to see the world through their eyes. You’ll discover that despite being literally and figuratively ‘looked down upon’ by society, shoe shiners universally take great pride in the work they do. They like the freedom that comes with being their own bosses and enjoy interacting with customers who always walk away happy. Yet, despite high levels of job satisfaction, shoe shiners are mostly ignored and, in some countries, even maligned. This film challenges viewers to question why that is.