Meet Beau Dick: Maker of Monsters

Meet Beau Dick is a poignant portrait of a Canadian art legend, a Maker of Monsters. Beau Dick was an enigmatic carver from a small remote village on the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. He worked in an ancient tradition and rose to the ranks of international success within the white cube world of contemporary art while never forgetting his roots.

Meet Beau Dick gives an intimate look into the life of one of Canada's greatest artists, though he never did consider himself Canadian. Rather, he considered himself a host to the Canadian people. This film strives to capture the essence of Beau Dick and his magical enigma as an artist who symbolized Canada's history with the First Nations and the ethical dilemmas faced in reconciling with that colonialist history. Beau was able to use his celebrity to call attention to the injustices done to his people and to the environment.

This film aims to unearth the factors that made Beau who he was -- his deep connection to identity, family, and community, his struggle with addiction -- and like a carver chipping away at a block of wood, his story brings truth and understanding out of the woodwork. Meet Beau Dick illuminates a man whose art and life continue to transcend expectations and boundaries.