简介：AbrushwithdeathpropelsfilmmakerBroderickFoxonaninternationaljourneythatyieldsanextraordinarycollaborationbetweenhimselfandtwootherartists:Kwakwaka'wakwartistRandeCook,andAfrican-AmericantattooartistZulu. Foxcandidlysharesahistoryofselfabuse,spiritualneglect,andintellectualdrivethatfragmentedhisidentityintomultiple,compartmentalizedselves.Hisstoryreflectsatendencyofmanyyoungmarginalizedindividualswhoseektoreconcilesocially-demandedroleswiththeirpersonaldesires. ThefilmalsodocumentsthetransformationofBroderick'sbodyintoalivingcanvas,asRandeandZulucollaboratewithhimtoproducehisfullbacktattoo.Thedesign,whichbringstogetherthreeKwakwaka'wakwmythsofpersonalsignificance,andtheritualofitsrealizationmarkacommitmenttoamoreintegratedapproachtoliving. Thesethreeartists,separatedbyculture,race,sexuality,andlifeexperience,shareinterestingparallelsintheirlifetrajectories.WhenRandefirstsoughtoutanapprenticeshipwithestablishedFirstNationsartists,noonewouldagreetoworkwithhim,threatenedbyhisyouthandobvioustalents.NooneinthetattooingcommunitywouldmentorZulubecauseofthecolorofhisskin.Asayoungmanlookingtocultureandthegaycommunityforrolemodels,Broderick’ssearchturnedupempty;manyofthemenhewouldlatercometoadmire(MarlonRiggs,HarveyMilk,andTomJoslin)hadeitherdiedofAIDSorbeenassassinated. SpanningCanada,Japan,Germany,Kenya,theU.S.mainland,andHawaii,TheSkinI’mInisaboutcomingout,standinguptoculturalprejudice,anddefiningasenseofselfthroughexperienceratherthanyieldingtothestatusquo. Eachintheirownway,Broderick,Rande,andZuluhavefoundwaystobecomecomfortableintheirskinsdespiteearlysetbacks,prejudices,andobstacles.Perhapsmostimportantly,eachisnowthankfulforhavingexperiencedandsurvivedthechallengesthatmadethemtheartistsandmentheyhavebecometoday. TheSkinI’mInoffersupcourageandhopeforallindividualstocharttheirownpathtowardsself-understandingandsocialagency.…