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Catalogue

Reel Injun

Neil Diamond, Catherine Bainbridge & Jeremiah Hayes
2009 | 1 h 28 min

Watch the film


In this feature-length documentary, Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond takes 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.

Awards and distinctions

  • Peabody Award
    Peabody Award Competition, Athens
    2011
  • Best Use of Footage in a Factual Program
    FOCAL International Awards, London
    2011
  • Canada Award
    Gemini Awards, Toronto
    2010
  • Best Visual Research
    Gemini Awards, Toronto
    2010
  • Best Direction in a Documentary Program
    Gemini Awards, Toronto
    2010
  • Honourable Mention for the Alanis Obomsawin Best Documentary Award
    Imagine Native Media Arts Festival, Toronto
    2009