Montreal – September 2, 2021 – The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and Rezolution Pictures International have announced that the NFB has acquired international distribution rights for their acclaimed 2009 co-produced feature documentary, the Gemini and Peabody Award-winning Reel Injun, directed by Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond, Catherine Bainbridge and Jeremiah Hayes.
Today’s announcement also marks the return of Reel Injun to the NFB’s CAMPUS online streaming platform, where it has been the second-most-viewed title, as well as to its educational sales catalogue for both Canada and the United States.
This return coincides with a groundbreaking exhibition at the brand new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Reel Injun appears in the core exhibition Stories of Cinema, in a gallery centred on the creation of Story. The content in the gallery focuses on the early stages of a film—it shows screenplays, research documents, working materials and storyboards. For Reel Injun, research notes and a page from the transcript are displayed alongside a seven-minute clip from the film. It has a strong presence in the gallery, as it is the only media being used in the room. The Museum is the world’s largest space devoted to the exhibition and exploration of the past, present and future of film.
It is an overwhelming honour for both Rezolution Pictures and the NFB to have Reel Injun spotlighted among some of the most prestigious films in the history of the Academy. Neil Diamond, Catherine Bainbridge, Christina Fon and Lisa M. Roth of Rezolution Pictures have been invited to see the film’s display at the Museum’s exclusive preview celebration night on September 28.
About the film
Winner of three Gemini Awards, including best direction in a documentary program, as well as a Peabody Award, Reel Injun is an entertaining and insightful look at the portrayal of North American Indigenous people throughout a century of cinema. Featuring hundreds of clips from old classics as well as recent releases, the film traces the evolution of the “Hollywood Indian.”
Diamond guides the audience on a journey across America to some of cinema’s most iconic landscapes and conducts candid interviews with celebrities like Clint Eastwood, Robbie Robertson and Jim Jarmusch. The film is a loving look at cinema through the eyes of the people who appeared in its very first flickering images and have survived to tell their stories in their own way.
Reel Injun was produced by Catherine Bainbridge, Christina Fon and Linda Ludwick for Rezolution, and Adam Symansky for the NFB.
Quotes
“You know you’re old when you find yourself in a museum… I suppose I should count my blessings that it’s not my bones that are on display! Actually, I’m really honoured to have our film featured in the Academy Museum. I never dreamed that when I was a kid watching Hollywood cowboy and Indian movies in Waskaganish—my home community in James Bay, Quebec—that one day our movie would be featured in Hollywood.” – Reel Injun director Neil Diamond
“We’re so proud of this film that we created in 2009. The story is especially relevant now, and to see it on the Canadian and world stage, with the NFB’s rerelease, and its exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, is testament to the longevity and impact of the film’s message. We are so thrilled and honoured!” – Reel Injun co-director, and Executive Producer/Co-founder of Rezolution Pictures, Catherine Bainbridge
“As co-producer of Reel Injun and a distributor of quality documentary programming, the NFB is excited to now be able to distribute this acclaimed film to all platforms, in all markets—including our key education market, where we’ve been a trusted source for decades. The NFB is committed to non-fiction storytelling that explores vital issues and to Indigenous creators,” said Nathalie Bourdon, Director, Distribution and Market Development.
Distribution
A Teaching Guide for secondary and post-secondary students contains discussion topics and questions grouped into key subject areas, chapters and themes, giving educators the flexibility to present excerpts from Reel Injun or the entire film.
The Reel Injun DVD is available to purchase through McIntyre Media in both Canada and the United States.
To subscribe to CAMPUS in Canada or for more information, contact info@nfb.ca.
To license the film for classroom use in the U.S., contact k.chlebovec@nfb.ca.
For international sales, contact Nathalie Bourdon at n.bourdon@nfb.ca.
About the NFB
The NFB is Canada’s public producer and distributor of award-winning documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories, and participatory experiences. Since 1968, the NFB has produced over 300 works by First Nations, Métis and Inuit filmmakers—an unparalleled collection that pushes past dominant narratives and provides Indigenous perspectives to Canadian and global audiences. The NFB is implementing an action plan with commitments that include devoting a minimum of 15 percent of overall production spending to Indigenous-led productions and making these works more accessible via Indigenous Cinema, a destination on NFB.ca.
About Rezolution Pictures International
Rezolution Pictures is an award-winning production company led by Ernest Webb and Catherine Bainbridge (co-founders and executive producers), Christina Fon (vice-president and executive producer) and Linda Ludwick (CFO and executive producer). Rezolution is best known for its original and trailblazing productions, such as feature documentaries like the Emmy-nominated RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World, which screened worldwide and won multiple awards at Sundance, Hot Docs and the Canadian Screen Awards, among others; and Reel Injun, which won multiple Geminis and a Peabody Award. Rezolution also made its mark in scripted television with the Canadian Screen Award-nominated comedy series Mohawk Girls, which aired for five seasons on APTN, was recently broadcast as part of Air Canada’s in-flight entertainment, is available on CBC’s GEM platform and is now streaming on NBC’s Peacock in the United States. From groundbreaking documentaries to innovative scripted series, Rezolution has helped shape Canada’s film and television industry for the past two decades, working with many of the country’s best new and established talents to create unique content, as well as video-game and Virtual Reality content through its sister company Minority Media. An effective mix of production, creative and executive experience has positioned Rezolution for global success as it turns its focus to developing and producing premium content with international partners.
About the Academy Museum
When it opens to the public on September 30, 2021, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will be the world’s premier institution dedicated to the art and science of movies. Global in outlook and grounded in the unparalleled collections and expertise of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy Museum will offer unparalleled exhibitions and programs illuminating the fascinating world of cinema. They will be immersive and dynamic, and will tell the many stories of the movies—their art, technology, artists, history and social impact—through a variety of diverse and engaging voices. The Academy Museum will tell complete stories of moviemaking: celebratory, educational, and sometimes critical or uncomfortable.
Visit the website: academymuseum.org/en
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Associated Links
Rezolution Pictures International
NFB’s CAMPUS
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
French version here | Version française ici.