The documentary “So Surreal: Behind the Masks” tells the little-known story of the ceremonial masks of the Yup'ik (Alaska) and Kwakwaka'wakw (northwest coast) peoples by Neil Diamond, a Cree filmmaker from Waskaganish, Quebec, located on the coast of James Bay in Canada.
This screening is offered as part of the international symposium organized on November 19 and 20, 2025, on the occasion of the inauguration of the exhibition « 1725. Des alliés amérindiens à la cour de Louis XV » presented as part of the CRoyAN project at the Palace of Versailles from November 25, 2025, to May 3, 2026. Like the symposium meetings, this screening is intended to be a space for exchange around new cultural, scientific, and museographic practices, with the aim of strengthening and promoting collaborative approaches between researchers, museums, and North American indigenous nations.
Synopsis
So Surreal : Behind the Masks is a documentary that uncovers the untold story of the ceremonial masks of the Yup’ik people (Alaska) and the Kwakwaka’wakw people (Northwest Coast). Filmmaker Neil Diamond, a member of the Cree Nation (one of the major Indigenous nations of North America) and known for his impactful documentaries such as Reel Injun and Red Fever, brings a unique perspective deeply rooted in his culture and his commitment to preserving Indigenous narratives.
Both an expedition and a spiritual quest, this investigation delves into the history of cultural objects appropriated by Western museums and collectors, from the distant lands of Turtle Island (North America) to the hands of European surrealists. These masks have influenced some of the most renowned modern artists and writers, such as Max Ernst (German painter and sculptor), André Breton (French poet), Roberto Matta (Chilean painter and sculptor), and Joan Miró (Catalan artist). Through this journey, Neil Diamond reveals the lesser-known influence of Indigenous cultures on modern art and follows the quest for the restitution of a mask stolen over a century ago from the Kwakwaka’wakw people.
Réalisation
Neil Diamond is a Cree filmmaker from Waskaganish, Quebec, on the coast of James Bay. Neil co-directed the award-winning feature documentaries, “Reel Injun” and the more recent “Red Fever” along with “One More River”, “Cree Spoken Here”, and “Heavy Metal: A Mining Disaster in Northern Quebec”. His credits also include “Inuit Cree Reconciliation”, “The Last Explorer”, and “Dab Iyiyuu”. He is an award-winning photographer, and co-founder of The Nation, the first news magazine to serve the Cree of northern Quebec and Ontario.
Joanne Robertson grew up as a settler on the west coast on the lands of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish). Today she is a director, researcher and creative producer. She first began her work with Rezolution Pictures over 25 years ago, collaborating with Cree co-director Neil Diamond on such documentary projects as Cree Spoken Here, Dab Iyiyuu and One More River. Since then she has honed her research, directing and story producing skills on diverse doc projects including the NFB’s Making Movie History, Ports d’attache, Chacun son île and as story producer on APTN’s Lands Enchanted and the award-winning documentary Red Fever. Joanne was co-producer on Kara Blake’s installation Lasciare Suonore at Montreal’s Place des Arts and Todd Stewart’s award-winning short animation The Wind and the Trees.
Biographical notes provided by the film production team.
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Screening
So surreal : Behind the Masks, a film by Neil Diamond and Joanne Robertson
Canada | 2024 | 1 hr 28 min | Original French and English versions with French subtitlesProgrammer
- Paz NÚÑEZ-REGUEIRO, Head of the American Collections Heritage Unit
Screening in the presence of the director (subject to confirmation) and in partnership with the FIFA International Film Festival of Art: https://lefifa.com/catalogue/so-surreal-behind-the-masks
- contact: Andreina Aveledo iaveledo@artfifa.com
- Place: Salle de cinéma
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TimeSlots:
Thursday 20 November 2025 from 18:00 to 20:00 - Public: Researcher, student, All publics
- Categorie : Cinema
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Free entry (subject to available places)
- As part of: Sharing collections, co-writing history
