FILM |
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COVER BUSINESS
FILM Two-Spirited
and Multifaceted HUMOUR |
Two-Spirited and Multifaceted Aboriginal singer, dancer, storyteller, filmmaker, government official, activist and humanitarian Duane Ghastant'Aucoin, creator of independent films including Children of the Rainbow (2003) and Chez D's (2004), is the quintessential 21st century Renaissance man. Aucoin, who currently shares a basement suite in Vancouver's east side
with roommates and fellow actors, friend Lorne and Chi-Chi the cat, is
a rising star in both the Aboriginal and gay community. With many arts
achievement awards under his belt, and a cameo role in a commercial on
APTN announcing next week's Vancouver Aboriginal film festival, of which
the Yukon born filmmaker will be exhibiting his works, Aucoin is refreshingly
down-to-earth for someone in the spotlight. Born in Whitehorse, to a Tlingit mother and French Acadian father, Aucoin
is no stranger to diversity. Not growing up on the reservation, and admitting that he was far removed
from any early cultural affiliation, Aucoin's life transformed dramatically
when his parents separated and he moved back to his mother's community
of Teslin. Through exposure to various cultural celebrations and festivities,
Aucoin consequently forged a connection to his culture. What initially set out to be a temporary move for Aucoin, turned into an eight-year relocation - one that he would later call a personal and cultural 'rebirth.' During another brief stint in Whitehorse before finally relocating to Vancouver with his two young cousins, Aucoin joined a First Nations theater production group and began his career in the entertainment industry. Influenced by his mother's strength, Prince's sexuality, and the purity of love shared with his partner Rob, Aucoin is grateful to all those who has touched his life. While there are many individuals who have helped Duane's along his journey, it was his contemporary and friend Alex Archie, who passed away from HIV/AIDS in 2003, which gave him the tools to illuminate and celebrate the two-spirited world. Take a hearty dose of camp humor, a sprinkling of jest, a tidbit of resentment,
and a generous heaping of cultural reverence, and you have a recipe for
artistry that is both forthright and unapologetic. With titles like 'Queer
as Chief', 'Bobby the Social Worker Slayer,' and 'Sex & the Rez,'
one can't help but want to know more about Aucoin and his work. "I like taking the audience down," Aucoin confesses, "but I don't like leaving them there I'm not that cruel." A self-professed activist who "stands up to any form of 'isms,'
Aucoin is all about fundamental freedom and equality. With films that
ultimately force individuals to loosen the proverbial noose of westernized
conformity and question the rationality of the ultra-conservative world,
it's safe to say that the 21st century Renaissance man is Postmodern after
all. |