Manitoba·Creator Network

Crocheting salves the wounds and worries of pandemic

Winnipeg filmmakers Samantha Don and Alexander Decebal-Cuza used Don's new obsession with crocheting as inspiration for their short film Mend. Manitoba artists were asked to create art based on the theme Happy Place.

New short video titled Mend tracks young woman's obsession with the crafty art

Crocheting soothes pandemic worries for Winnipeg woman

4 years ago
Duration 2:24
Armed with crocheting needles, filmmaker Samantha Don finds her pandemic happy place. Film by Samantha Don and Alexander Decebal-Cuza.

CBC Manitoba's Creator Network asked local artists to imagine their happy place as we mark the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Winnipeg filmmakers Samantha Don and Alexancer Decebal-Cuza took up the challenge. They created Mend, a short film starring Don, which follows her obsession with crocheting. To see more Happy Place projects from the Creator Network click here



When the lockdown started taking its toll, I took up crocheting, and now I can't really put it down.

Crocheting then turned to painting, and painting to sculpting. Creating art is my happy place.

I used all of my anxious energy and channeled it into different creative projects.

Crocheting helps filmmaker Samantha Don with pandemic uncertainty. (Submitted by Samantha Don and Alexander Decebal-Cuza)

I think this helps me take my mind off of everything going on in the world around me, and I can focus on creating positivity in a space where I have control.

Plus, when everything has gone back to normal, I'll have a bunch of colourful clothes to wear. 

Winnipegger Samanatha Don channels her stress in her new short film Mend. (Submitted: Samantha Don and Alexander Decebal-Cuza)

About the filmmakers 

Samantha Don is a Winnipeg filmmaker. (Alexander Decebal-Cuza)

Samantha Don is a Winnipeg-based filmmaker and editor. She is a Red River College Creative Communications graduate, and is working on completing her Bachelor of Film at the University of Winnipeg. She wants to create content about social justice movements and uses film as a way of showcasing voices in the community. Being different is something that is very important to her, and she fully embraces the weird in every project she works on.

Alex Decebal-Cuza is a filmmaker based in Winnipeg. (Submitted by Alex Decebal-Cuza)

Alexander Decebal-Cuza is a filmmaker based in Winnipeg. Decebal-Cuza has worked as a camera assistant and director of photography. Starting off with portraiture and photojournalism, he quickly found a passion in visual storytelling and started to explore the film industry. When he isn't making films, Decebal-Cuza is working as the photo editor for The Manitoban newspaper.