Bert Shapiro, of Pheasant’s Eye Productions, is a very talented independent filmaker. He makes short films about real people, doing real things.

And he concentrates on ways of life that are vanishing.

Ways of life like rolling cigars by hand in New York City.

Here, courtesy of Pheasant’s Eye, is a look at how a torcedor — a cigar roller — turns a pile of leaves into a work of art in the award winning short film Hand Rolled on 29th Street.

The film takes less than three minutes to view. If you have never had a chance to see how a cigar is rolled, you should find this especially fascinating.

More on Bert Shapiro, the filmaker, below the fold.

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Interested in learning how to roll a cigar?

Then head on down to the historic Ybor City district of Tampa, Florida.

You’ll have a chance to learn everything you need to know in a Cigar Aficionado certification course that is used to train people to hand roll cigars for the tourist trade there. According to the Chamber of Commerce, three cigar shops and six cigar factories have opened for business in Ybor City in the last six months. Business is booming.

“Our cigar school is not just to create cigar rollers, but to create cigar rollers that know the rich history of Ybor City,” said Jacqueline Conley of International Bazaar, where classes are held.

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