RJ videographer honored for story on Moulin Rouge
Las Vegas Review-journal videographer Rachel Aston was recognized Monday night for her coverage of the Historic Westside.
Ward 5 Chamber of Commerce President Katherine Duncan presented Aston with a framed photo of the Moulin Rouge and thanked her for a regional Emmy-winning video about the former hotel-casino, titled “The Moulin Rouge: A Fight for the Westside.” Her video, awarded the Emmy this summer, was played on a big screen Monday at an Emmys watch party at Eclipse Theaters, 814 S. Third St.
Duncan said the chamber wanted “to show how much we appreciate her heart, the fact that she understands our plight and she’s taken up the challenge.”
Aston’s video documents the history of the Moulin Rouge and its symbolism among Historic Westside residents long after it closed its doors.
“Rachel is skilled beyond her years in getting her subjects to trust her and speak from their hearts,” Review-journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook said. “Her Moulin Rouge video is among her very best because it captures the lasting emotional and economic impact of the hotel’s closure on the Historic Westside, as told by the people who feel it every day.”
The Moulin Rouge, which was Las Vegas’ first racially integrated casino when it opened in 1955, closed after six months. The remaining buildings burned down in October, about three months after Aston filmed her video. Years of neglect, fires and squatters already had left the property in a dilapidated state.
Aston said it felt nice to receive the recognition for her video.
“I was nervous because I like being behind the camera,” she said.
Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.