Amman, August 31 – The Cinema Committee of Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation will screen the French film “Dali!” by director Quentin Dupieux on Tuesday, September 2, at 6:30 PM in the cinema hall and 8:00 PM outdoors at the foundation’s headquarters in Jabal Amman.
Released in 2024, “Dali!” offers a unique and unconventional portrayal of the surrealist artist Salvador Dali. Rather than following a traditional biography or recounting the milestones that shaped his artistic direction, the film takes viewers on a dreamlike journey that captures Dali’s fragmented, overlapping, and mesmerizing world.
The story follows a young woman who leaves her pharmacy career to become a journalist tasked with interviewing Dali. Frustrated by the restrictions of the interview, she secures funding to make a film about the artist—but faces continuous challenges, the greatest being Dali himself. His inflated ego and unpredictable personality constantly threaten the production, ultimately revealing that the audience has been watching this “cinematic portrait” of Dali all along.
Casting multiple actors as Dali at various stages of life highlights his constant reinvention and complex persona, reflecting the surrealist philosophy that identity is fluid and reality malleable. Dupieux brings to life Dali’s genius, theatricality, and provocateur spirit through these portrayals.
Structured as a series of dreamlike sequences, the film blends reality and fantasy, echoing Dali’s exploration of the subconscious and his belief that art should be a window into dreams and the human psyche. It highlights Dali’s performative life, including his bold, controversial acts, such as the famous diving suit stunt, showing how he viewed his existence as a continuous artistic creation.
Dupieux also delves into Dali’s darker traits, including his commercial ambitions, complex relationships, and personal behavior, reflecting the artist’s explorations of humanity, religion, and the mind. The film pays homage to Dali’s cinematic legacy, particularly his collaborations with Luis Buñuel, evoking surrealist classics such as Un Chien Andalou.
With its retro-inspired cinematography, dreamlike editing, and evocative music, “Dali!” is not a conventional biopic but a surreal exploration of the artist’s essence, immersing audiences in the dizzying, strange, and endlessly fascinating reality that Dali created around himself. Through its fragmented narrative and multiple portrayals of Dali, the film becomes a living surrealist artwork and a fitting tribute to an artist who turned his own life into a masterpiece.