Dorian Shine
Toronto based actor, director & performance artist. Out-of-the-box, Dorian enjoys directing hybrid theatre & film forms. Shine directed several plays & short films in North Africa, Argentina & Canada. His documentary "Femenino Singular" explores 30 intimate women identities. He is also the founder of Resist Film Festival, a space for artivists to share their video based work. With a BA in Theatre & MA in Performance Art, he explores how taboo regulates the socio-cultural fabric. Shine participated in festivals like The Belgrade International Theatre Festival & The Buenos Aires Performance Art Biennale.
Artist: Dorian Shine
Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Instagram: @dorian.shine
@resist.film.festival
What are some positive traits that you believe you carry?
I believe that my childish and curious eyes are the first positive trait about me; being capable of being surprised, asking questions, and simply allowing myself to still be amazed by what life can offer even after great disasters. Another trait would be my passion for what I do, my obsession in other terms, whether it's writing, directing, or acting. I believe that my voice could make a difference and that my experience in life is worth sharing creatively. We all have stories, but I have this feeling of urgency about telling mine and sharing about my ordeals with art.
What prompted you to want to be an artist?
It is the need to create, the need to imagine other characters, stories, and emotions. it's just a flame that I feel and that explodes in my redhead. I wake up with this need to paint, to write, or to play and to leave an imprint in this existence. When I tried to tame this flame, I was no longer myself, I was just becoming inanimate ... so I decided to go with my instincts and let my creativity run wild. I went back to university, finished a Ba in theater, and when I traveled to Argentina, I studied film and television and did a master's degree in performance art.
What themes do you pursue?
For a while now, the autobiographical dimension has been gaining momentum in my creations. I have the impression that everything starts somewhere from past traumas, feelings of injustice, or the simple wish for a better life. That’s one of the reasons I founded Resist Film Festival, rooted in the Human Rights, Justice, Social Change, Climate, LGBTQ+, Gender, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People Of Color), and any Activism related topic or video Oriented art form.
Do you have any long-term goals? How do you ensure that you are moving along that path?
Being a multidisciplinary artist isn’t easy, I started my career as an actor and then I grew interested in writing, directing, and performance art. I had many career restarts in different countries, Tunisia, Morocco, Argentina, and now Canada. Since I came to Toronto, I decided to learn from my past experiences, and I knew that I needed a plan. Luckily, I had the support of the Toronto Art Council that granted me the Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship grant for 2019. I was able to make a career development plan and it was a game-changer for me. I was able to learn the know-how of the industry in Canada, I updated my acting demo, my headshots, I participated in Canadian productions, and after having my first Actra credit, I feel ready to have an agent.
What's integral to the work of an arist?
For me it is about the passion that the artist feels in his creations and then, to have his vision of the world that he can transmit. This is what makes the difference for me between an artist and a person who works in art. It is not about doing a beautiful thing, it is about being honest and real in your interpretation, in your message, or simply in your testimony of life. After that we all have our demons; some will use them to deepen their creativity and others will hold back in front of them. My demons: I draw them, I give them a voice that I play, I possess them.
