Global News: Dene filmmaker turned away from Cannes red carpet over moccasins
Reconciliation News continues as we ask ourselves, what counts as “formal wear”? Vancouver-based Dene filmmaker, Kelvin Redvers, from the Northwest Territories was invited to attend a red carpet screening at the Cannes Film Festival along with five other Indigenous filmmakers. However, he states he was turned away from the red carpet for wearing his traditional moccasins with his tux. Cannes, along with many other exclusive festivals, has strict formal attire rules, yet there are accommodations for traditional formal wear, such as Scottish kilts or Indian saris. Yet, Redvers’ experience did not reflect this.
“Part of his run-in, he said, could be attributed to the fact that so few Indigenous people have attended Cannes.
“‘I guess they just hadn’t had exposure to something like this pair of beaded moccasins with moose hide,’ he said.” (CBC News BC)
This news addresses the need for more cultural awareness and the importance of cultural formalwear.
Click this link for the video and full Global News story.