INTRO
“Spirits of Clay” is a documentary series funded by the National Television Council (CNTV) and filmed by the production company GUAIRAO PRODUCCIONES of Valdivia. It takes us from Chiloé to Japan and Peru, following ceramics student Daniela Holvoet and her young son Gaspar. It is a journey through clay—its shapes, its sounds, and its memory—guided by artisans, artists, and musicians from the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific.
SYNOPSIS
A five-episode documentary series in which we travel with ceramics student Daniela Holvoet (DANI) from her native Chiloé in search of the spirit of ceramics. The story flows from the voices of its own practitioners-protagonists, who share their experiences as artisans, artists, and musicians. All are united by the same principle: earth transformed into clay, shaped and fired to create ceramic objects—each piece representing a story that connects us to the past, present, and future of our culture.
SPIRITS OF CLAY
L I N K
V I D E O S YN O P S I S
L I N K
V I D E O S YN O P S I S
SERIES STRUCTURE
Format: Non-fiction documentary
Episodes: 5
Total duration: 150 min (30 min each)
Year of production: 2025
Format: Non-fiction documentary
Episodes: 5
Total duration: 150 min (30 min each)
Year of production: 2025
EPISODES
1. Artificial Stones
2. The Tradition of Fire
3. Traces of the Earth
4. The Sound of Clay
5. Millions of Years
1. Artificial Stones
2. The Tradition of Fire
3. Traces of the Earth
4. The Sound of Clay
5. Millions of Years
EPISODE SYNOPSIS
Episode 1
ARTIFICIAL STONES
DANI begins her journey, accompanied by her young son GASPAR, in what will be her apprenticeship in the craft of ceramics as a vessel of our culture. Japanese ceramist Yuka Kato, residing in Chile, takes us into the mysteries of clay—from its primitive state to its most sophisticated forms—sharing her project on the creation of artificial stones. The Widulafquen group of ceramists opens its doors to share experiences, and ceramist Mauro Carrasco reveals some secrets that tie him to the island of Chiloé.
Episode 2
THE TRADITION OF FIRE
DANI arrives in Japan, accompanied by her son GASPAR, to explore the world of ceramics and its influence on Japanese culture. During her visit to the Shigaraki Ceramic Park, she discovers the importance of ancient wood-fired kilns in creating unique pieces. She shares experiences with artists from different parts of the world who come to this place for artistic residencies, drawn by the tradition and quality of its ceramics.
Episode 2
THE TRADITION OF FIRE
DANI arrives in Japan, accompanied by her son GASPAR, to explore the world of ceramics and its influence on Japanese culture. During her visit to the Shigaraki Ceramic Park, she discovers the importance of ancient wood-fired kilns in creating unique pieces. She shares experiences with artists from different parts of the world who come to this place for artistic residencies, drawn by the tradition and quality of its ceramics.
Episode 3
TRACES OF THE EARTH
DANI arrives in Japan, accompanied by her son GASPAR, to explore the world of ceramics and its influence on Japanese culture. During her visit to the Shigaraki Ceramic Park, she discovers the importance of ancient wood-fired kilns in creating unique pieces. She shares experiences with artists from different parts of the world who come to this place for artistic residencies, drawn by the tradition and quality of its ceramics.
Episode 3
TRACES OF THE EARTH
DANI arrives in Japan, accompanied by her son GASPAR, to explore the world of ceramics and its influence on Japanese culture. During her visit to the Shigaraki Ceramic Park, she discovers the importance of ancient wood-fired kilns in creating unique pieces. She shares experiences with artists from different parts of the world who come to this place for artistic residencies, drawn by the tradition and quality of its ceramics.
Episode 4
THE SOUND OF CLAY
In this episode, the breathtaking landscapes of the Peruvian Altiplano welcome DANI, who, accompanied by ceramist Taki Runa, introduces us to the pre-Hispanic musical world through the crafting of ancestral clay instruments in small rural communities of Peru, later sharing this knowledge in southern Chile.
THE SOUND OF CLAY
In this episode, the breathtaking landscapes of the Peruvian Altiplano welcome DANI, who, accompanied by ceramist Taki Runa, introduces us to the pre-Hispanic musical world through the crafting of ancestral clay instruments in small rural communities of Peru, later sharing this knowledge in southern Chile.
Episode 5
MILLIONS OF YEARS
DANI shares experiences with the various ceramists who have accompanied her in her research: the aesthetic vision of Mena Katz, the madness and magic of Mauro Carrasco in Chiloé, and Yuka Kato’s artistic installation of stones. Finally, she inaugurates her own kiln alongside all of them and reflects on what defines the spirit of clay and how it mirrors human life.
MILLIONS OF YEARS
DANI shares experiences with the various ceramists who have accompanied her in her research: the aesthetic vision of Mena Katz, the madness and magic of Mauro Carrasco in Chiloé, and Yuka Kato’s artistic installation of stones. Finally, she inaugurates her own kiln alongside all of them and reflects on what defines the spirit of clay and how it mirrors human life.
FEATURED CHARACTERS
Daniela Holvoet (DANI)
Protagonist and Ceramist
Protagonist and Ceramist
Mauro Carrasco
Ceramist Based in Chiloé
Ceramist Based in Chiloé
Gaspar
Her young son and travel companion
Her young son and travel companion
Tanii Hozan
Japanese Master
Japanese Master
Yuka Kato
Japanese Ceramist in Chile
Japanese Ceramist in Chile
Widulafquen
Potters from Lake Panguipulli in Southern Chile
Potters from Lake Panguipulli in Southern Chile
Taki Runa
Sound Ceramist in Peru
Sound Ceramist in Peru
Menashe Katz
Master Ceramist Based in Valdivia
Master Ceramist Based in Valdivia
THEMES AND APPROACHES
Ceramics as an Ancestral and Contemporary Craft
Generational Transmission and Cultural Memory
Multicultural Exploration: Chile, Japan, Peru
Aesthetic, Spiritual, and Musical Dimensions of Clay
Dialogues Between Art, Science, and Community
TECHNICAL SHEET
Director
Francisco Ríos Anderson
Executive Producer
Margarita Poseck, Francisco Ríos A.
General Producer
Daniela Holvoet
Writers
Francisco Ríos A., Margarita Poseck, Daniela Holvoet
Cinematography
Francisco Ríos A.
Camera
Francisco Ríos A., Daniela Holvoet, Margarita Poseck, José Vidal
Sound
Jorge “Coke” Vio
Editing
Francisco Ríos A.
Music Composition
Jorge “Coke” Vio
Image Post-Production
Poseck Producciones
Sound Post_Productio
Akanto Producciones
Francisco Ríos Anderson
Executive Producer
Margarita Poseck, Francisco Ríos A.
General Producer
Daniela Holvoet
Writers
Francisco Ríos A., Margarita Poseck, Daniela Holvoet
Cinematography
Francisco Ríos A.
Camera
Francisco Ríos A., Daniela Holvoet, Margarita Poseck, José Vidal
Sound
Jorge “Coke” Vio
Editing
Francisco Ríos A.
Music Composition
Jorge “Coke” Vio
Image Post-Production
Poseck Producciones
Sound Post_Productio
Akanto Producciones
Director of “Spirits of Clay”, he is an audiovisual creator, designer, and visual artist. His work weaves together research, visual poetry, and creative documentary filmmaking. In this project, he combines his authorial vision with his experience in camera work, editing, and directing, crafting a piece that reflects the intersection between the intimate and the collective, the ancestral and the contemporary.
Francisco Rios Anderson
D I R E C T O R
www.franciscoriosanderson.com
+56 9 82289804
Francisco Rios Anderson
D I R E C T O R
www.franciscoriosanderson.com
+56 9 82289804
Executive producer of the series, she holds a degree in Philosophy, a Master’s in Communication, and is a faculty member at the Universidad Austral de Chile, where she teaches courses in theatre and visual media. Her career in documentary filmmaking spans more than three decades as a screenwriter, director, and executive producer. She has worked in both Spain and Chile, is one of the founders of the Valdivia International Film Festival, and was awarded the 2018 Regional Arts Prize for her contribution to the development of audiovisual culture from southern Chile.
Margarita Poseck
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
www.poseckfilms.com
marposeck@gmail.com
Margarita Poseck
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
www.poseckfilms.com
marposeck@gmail.com
