With the total cooperation of the Salvador Dali Foundation, director Xavi Figueras' investigative documentary reorganises and returns to the screen the cream of over 40 hours of rare archival images from around the world, shedding new light on the eccentric life of the quintessential surrealist. Although he left an indelible mark on cinema, the true scope of Dali's movie ambitions has not been examined until now.

Most film lovers know Dali's big-screen work from his unique collaboration with Luis Buñuel on the landmark Un Chien Andalou (1929); his own avant-garde masterpiece, L' Âge d'or (1930); the wonderful fantasy sequence from Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945) and the long-lost (until MIFF 2003) collaboration with Disney Studios, Destino. But Dali, with his exceptional creative ambition and monomaniacal drive, had grand plans for a new kind of cinema. He aimed to challenge all notions of representation and incorporate the other art disciplines he was involved in. The force of Dali's personality, his wealth, and celebrity connections enabled him to indulge and experiment. The often bizarre, and always startling, results are on show here for the first time.

D Xavi Figueras, Josep Rovira P Patrice Barrat, Victor Carrera S Josep Rovira WS Article Z L French w/English subtitles TD Video/Col/2004/52mins

Xavi Figueras's films: Cinema Dali (MIFF 2004)

Josep Rovira's films: Cinema Dali (MIFF 2004).