the source

Every story has an origin.

For cc-tapis, it begins in the Himalayas — where the air thins and the sky feels within reach; where people and places give form to its sensibility and approach.

There, handmade rugs take shape at a steady, careful rhythm, grounded in long-standing skills. Gestures and techniques are handed down over time, with an openness to experimentation.

The Source was filmed on 16mm with a Bolex Super 16 camera. Choosing analogue changed the gaze. Everything slowed, and attention shifted to what was happening right in front of the lens. Small details came into focus: the movement of hands, the atmosphere of the ateliers, the real life each rug is immersed in.

Two cities frame the story. Leh, in Ladakh, is where Himalayan wool begins its path, in a quiet, open landscape of snow capped mountains, herders, and strong raw colours. Encounters are rare, but they stay with you.

In Kathmandu, where the cc-tapis atelier is based, temples and city life overlap, motorbikes weave through dusty streets, and craft continues in the middle of it all. Tradition and the present live in contrast, influencing one another naturally.

The Source closes on ordinary moments, with wool gathered at high altitude and spun locally by people who have worked with it their whole lives; with indelible faces, gestures, streets — offering an honest glimpse into the places that continue to inspire cc-tapis.