Kevan Funk
Interview
By Nahanni McKay
Were you aware that Banff is the hometown of one of the most prominent directors in Canadian film? And I’m not talking about mountain films.
For Oesa Magazine I wanted to write about filmmaker Kevan Funk, an artist who was raised in the mountains. Kevan graciously agreed to an interview. Despite being in lockdown, we connected over Zoom for an engaging conversation that lasted an hour and a half.
Kevan was raised in Banff within a creative family environment. His parents were the founders of Precipice Theater, an acting program for children in the Bow Valley, hosted at The Club at Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity.
Kevan Funk, is a film director and a fellow Banff Community High School alumni. He has made a name for himself in the Canadian film industry. With a portfolio ranging from music videos to full-length feature films with multiple awards and nominations, Kevan's work resonates with audiences through its unique storytelling and thought-provoking narratives. While in high school, Kevan found inspiration from mentors such as English teacher, Ms. Beaton and Mr. Purkis, who encouraged Kevan’s pursuit of filmmaking and storytelling as a potential career path.
I first met Kevan when I was part of his mentorship program with the highschool. He took a group of us to The Banff Media World Festival and exposed us to the world’s top creators and producers who all gather at the Fairmont Banff Springs every year. Everyone knew Kevan just because Banff is a small town, but he gained national recognition with his creativity and innovative work in the film industry.
Among his notable works is the music video for Ancient Mars by The Zolas, a band close to the hearts of many Vancouverites. Kevan shared his insights into the making of this video, which served as a tribute to Elisa Lam, a young Vancouverite whose mysterious death in a Los Angeles hotel room sparked widespread interest and speculation and turned her story into a base for horror films. Kevan collaborated with The Zolas' lead singer, Zach Gray, who went to University of British Columbie with Elisa. Kevan sought to capture her experience traveling in LA, focused on the themes of traveling solo and the freedom of being young. The inclusion of water in the video served as a symbol, delicately woven into the narrative to evoke deeper emotions and reflections in the viewer.
Transitioning to his work with The Hallucination, (formally known as A Tribe Called Red), Kevan reflected on the enriching experience of collaborating with Indigenous artists. In directing the music video for Stadium Pow-Wow, he embraced the role of facilitator, allowing the artists to guide the creative process and share their message of colonial violence.
Kevan's talent and dedication working with The Hallucination won him a Best Director win at the Much Music Video Awards. Despite the surreal experience of receiving the award, Kevan remains grounded in his passion for storytelling through music videos and crafting short stories on film.
Stadium Pow-Wow includes a cameo of Joe Buffalo, a well known skateboarder and residential school survivor who also had a cameo in Kevan’s first full-length feature film, Hello Destroyer.
Hello Destroyer is a moving exploration of Canada's national identity and the toxic masculinity ingrained in hockey culture. Through the film, Kevan challenges stereotypes and delves into themes of individual failure and societal expectations.
One of the most striking scenes in Hello Destroyer involves a headdress worn during one team’s hazing ritual for rookies, sparking discussions about cultural appropriation and the complexities of Canadian identity. Kevan's intentional inclusion of such a scene underscores his commitment to confronting uncomfortable truths about hockey culture and fostering dialogue about the nation's history.
Hello Destroyer has received many accolades, including Best Direction in a Motion Picture and Best Screenwriting in a Motion Picture at the Leo Awards. The film also received the award for Best Emerging B.C. Filmmaker at the Vancouver International Film Festival, as well as Best Director of a Canadian Film at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle. Kevan has also won awards for his work on music videos such as the Prism Prize.
As Kevan continues to push the boundaries of filmmaking, his work serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of storytelling. Through his nuanced narratives and collaborative approach, Kevan invites audiences to engage with issues of identity, culture, and belonging in Canada and beyond. Kevans family relocated from Banff, Alberta to Cortes Island, B.C. off of Vancouver Island. Kevan Funk lives in Toronto with his partner, musician, Debby Friday.