How this Métis filmmaker’s experience in sex work influenced his 1st feature film, set in Vancouver
Filmmaker Ducharme discusses how his past experiences in sex work informed his debut feature film, Seventeen. The film explores themes of chosen family and survival among queer Indigenous youth in Vancouver.
Why it matters
Highlights the intersection of lived experience and creative storytelling in contemporary Canadian cinema.
"I needed to survive," he told CBC’s The Early Edition . "It was truly a matter of make money or go back home, and I've always been really, really committed to relentlessly chasing my dreams, so I didn't see moving back to Manitoba as an option."
Chasing his dreams worked out; Ducharme’s first feature film screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and will play at Vancouver’s film festival this month.
Seventeen follows three queer, young Indigenous sex workers in Vancouver, each experiencing a loss of some kind.
"They're all sort of going through the stages of that and trying to get that back or handle those things," Ducharme said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in