Ayana O'Shun

Birthplace

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Biography

Born in Montreal, Ayana O’Shun (aka Tetchena Bellange) holds a degree in Cinema from the Université de Montréal. Her documentary Les Mains noires – Procès de l’esclave incendiaire (2010) was selected in over 40 national and international festivals. Ayana continued her directing career with the short fiction Lazyboy. and several short films, including the NFB documentary Médecins sans résidence. The film was the most viewed documentary on the NFB website for several weeks. A few years ago, Ayana was among the winners of “La Table de l’Histoire des Noirs de Montréal” for her advances in the arts. In addition, Ayana is one of the creators selected across Canada for the “Netflix Diversity of Voices” program. In 2022, her feature-length documentary Le Mythe de la femme noire denounces the stereotypes she herself has observed throughout her career. The film is widely distributed and wins the Magnus Isaacson Prize at RIDM 2022. Ayana O’Shun is also an actress who has appeared in some forty productions in film, television, theater and advertising. Whether behind or in front of the camera, this artist’s aim is to create powerful stories that promote connection between people and peoples, while breaking down barriers of gender or race.