Kelvin Redvers, who is originally from the Northwest Territories and works in British Columbia, hopes this incident will teach festival organizers and help broaden the festival’s understanding of what is evening wear.
Mr. Redvers traveled to France as part of a delegation of six Aboriginal filmmakers with the support of Telefilm Canada, theIndigenous Screen Office and the FILMBA program at Capilano University.
He had been invited on the red carpet for the screening of the film The Almond Trees by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. The Cannes Film Festival has strict rules for evening wear on the red carpet – black tie for men, evening dress for women – but there are accommodations for traditional outfits, for example Scottish kilts and smocks. Indian sarees.
Mr. Redvers thought his loafers paired with a tuxedo would qualify.
To me, these loafers are ceremonial, they’re formal, basically
he said on Friday on the show On The Coast from the CBC.
« So, I was going to wear a great tuxedo, I was going to be super handsome, but I was going to insert just a little bit of indigenousness. »
Mr Redvers was carrying his loafers in a bag when he went through the first security check, he said. He put them on and was then stopped by security at a second checkpoint, where he was told he might not wear loafers.
No no. It’s formal for me, I’m Dene
he said.
A French-speaking member of Mr. Redvers’ procession tried to discuss this situation with the festival’s security service. Eventually, according to Mr. Redvers, a security guard had had enough.
« I think he lost his patience and, rather aggressively, he just reacted by saying, “Go, go, go now, go.” »
Permission and Apologies
Mr Redvers was eventually allowed to return to the red carpet following changing his shoes, but he claims the incident upset him and the motorcade accompanying him.
I was really shocked by this aggressive treatment at such an exciting event for me
he says.
M. Redvers, l ‘Indigenous Screen Office and Telefilm Canada met with festival organizers, who apologized to Mr. Redvers. He was later invited to wear loafers on the red carpet for the screening of Canadian director David Cronenberg’s new film, Crimes of the Future, Monday. He says he met some resistance on his arrival but was finally allowed to pass.
Mr. Redvers hopes that his experience on the red carpet will have allowed Cannes Film Festival officials to start thinking regarding the nuances of traditional attire.
According to him, the fact that very few Aboriginal people participated in the Cannes Film Festival partly explains what happened.
« Guess they’ve never been exposed to anything like this pair of beaded moosehide loafers. »
He hopes that will change and adds that Cannes is more than a red carpet: it’s also an opportunity to network. According to him, the six Aboriginal filmmakers have established contacts with industry representatives who they hope will lead to financing and distribution agreements for their projects.
We’re all regarding to premiere our films and be present at festivals like this, because we all have great projects in the works and lots of up-and-coming talent.
concludes Mr. Redvers.
According to a text by Jon Azpiri, CBC
