Joanne Robertson is a director, researcher and creative producer. She began her work with Rezolution Pictures over 25 years ago, collaborating 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 Suonare at Montreal’s Place des Arts and Todd Stewart’s award-winning short animation The Wind and the Trees. She recently co-directed So Surreal: Behind the Masks about the profound influence of Indigenous masks on the Surrealists which had its West Coast premiere at VIFF.
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Which neighbourhood are you in?
I’m living in Montreal these days but I grew up on the North Shore. Whenever I come back, I stay near Ambleside and sometimes in False Creek. Walking along the seawall from Ambleside to Dundrave and back has always been one of my favourite things to do, especially in the summer when there are families out having picnics on the beach, people swimming or young people trying their hand at sailing. Sometimes you’ll catch people playing music or even make-shift choirs singing. When I’m not staying near Ambleside, I’m at a friend’s in False Creek which is a totally different vibe. I’ve loved getting to know this neighbourhood over the past few years. It’s changed so much! For context, my first memories of this area were my outings at Expo 86! I love how easy it is to get around without a car from here which is unusual for Vancouver in my experience. From the seawall to the water taxis and bike shares to the Skytrain…
What do you do?
I’m a researcher, story producer and director in documentary film and television.
What are you currently working on?
I recently co-directed So Surreal: Behind the Masks, a feature documentary about the profound influence of Indigenous masks on the Surrealists. The film had its West Coast premiere earlier this week at VIFF!
Where can we find your work?
You can find information about So Surreal on Rezolution Pictures’ Instagram and you can keep an eye out for it on CBC doc channel and CBC Gem. If you’re interested in NFB history, you might be interested in these shorts that I did about the early days of the NFB. You can also check out some of my work on Knowledge Network: Waterfront Cities of the World and Island Diaries. I also recently researched and story-produced Red Fever which you can see on TVO’s YouTube channel.
