HAY RIVER - Twenty-one-year-old Kelvin Redvers is making a name for himself in the film world.

Born and raised in Hay River, Redvers is a third-year student at Simon Fraser University in the Vancouver area, where he is working towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in film production.

Kelvin Redvers explores human relationships and nature through his films. - photo courtesy of Kelvin Redvers

"It's pretty super," he said.

Two of Redvers' documentaries, The Making of a Haida Totem Pole and A Look at the Life of Morgan Green, were screened at the 2008 Cowichan International Aboriginal Film Festival, where he received an honourable mention for senior documentary, the technical achievement award and co-won the award for most promising filmmaker.

It was after his second-year group project won Best Film in the drama category of the 2007 International Student Film Festival in California that Redvers got the opportunity to participate in a documentary pro-ject about Haida carver Dan Yeomans, who was commissioned to carve two 12-metre totem poles to be installed at the Vancouver airport.

"I was given the chance to document this from log to installation," said Redvers. "The documentary itself ended up being about the flourishing of cultures, the artist and aboriginal culture. (Yeomans) taught me so much about what art is about."

Redvers' completed documentary plays alongside the completed totem poles.

His second award-winning documentary, A Look at the Life of Morgan Green, is about a 23-year-old female Tsimshian artist, carver, fashion designer, knifemaker, painter and potter, who is learning to process hides in Vancouver.

"It's an empowering story about aboriginal youth," said Redvers, who came into contact with Green while working on his Haida project.

The Life of Morgan Green was accepted to be shown at the Film and Video Showcase of First Peoples in Montreal.

Redvers feels focusing on aboriginal subjects is something to which he has gravitated.

"I'm definitely drawn to the aboriginal side, being Métis, and find a lot of themes haven't been explored," he said.

His aboriginal narrative film Firebear Called Them Faith Healers is based upon a story by Fort Smith author Richard Van Camp.

"I met him through my sister at UBC. We sort of collaborated, and he gave me this story."

Firebear, which was screened at the Vancouver Student Film Festival, also had Michaela Fraser of Hay River acting in it.

Redvers' interest in film production started in high school. When his family bought a camcorder, he found himself going off on his own to film.

It was something to do and a way to bring his friends together, as they would act in his projects.

"The ideas I had in my head could get out into the world," he said.

"It just felt like it was something that I needed to do." And he still feels that way, he added.

But the tone of Redvers' work has changed over the years. In high school, Redvers filmed a lot of comedy and satire. Since beginning university, he has taken a step up, trying to make films that are a little deeper, with messages.

"I was just trying to challenge myself in any way I could. It's been a good journey," he said, adding he has been blessed with supportive people around him, including the aboriginal arts community, his high school and his friends who acted in his films and played the music for them.

"It's always good to come back to that," he said.