Robby Reis is a multidisciplinary artist whose work bridges documentary and fine art. His work, often emerging from intimate explorations of relationships, addresses complex themes such as love, loss, culture, memory, and the subconscious. His interest in alternative storytelling leads him to offbeat narratives that spotlight unassuming characters often overlooked.
With a background in graffiti and street art, Reis is dedicated to creating and exhibiting work in public spaces, ensuring it can be experienced by all. His commitment to DIY art practices is reflected in his use of analog mediums—Xerox machines, VHS tapes, Polaroid film, and audio cassettes—which convey a raw, unfiltered immediacy.
A dedicated mentor, Reis teaches filmmaking and photography to diverse communities, including individuals with mental health challenges and those on the autism spectrum. He also holds a position as a lecturer at the University of Montreal, where he has been teaching a video production class since 2017.
His projects have received support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and the National Film Board of Canada. His films have screened at MoMA, the Lincoln Center for the Arts, and the Cinémathèque Québécoise.
Reis studied visual arts at Dawson College (2002) and film production at Concordia University’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema (2006). Currently, he is completing an MFA in Cinematic Arts at Concordia University’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema.
Reis is a co-founder of Natali Film, a film collective with a presence in both Montreal and Paris.
FILMOGRAPHY
2022 | The Art of Marco Royal | 4min | HD 1.85:1 | Stereo
2018 | My Father | 8min | HD 4:3 | Stereo
2018 | Drive Home Safe | 1h 22min | HD 1.85:1 | Surround 5.1
2010 | Suha | 8min | 16mm | Stereo
2010 | Hellbound for Baja | 52min | HD 16:9 | Stereo
2008 | Tell me This is Right | 3min | HD 16:9 |Stereo
2007 | Feeding the Raging Heart | 23min | SD 16:9 | Stereo
2006 | Rocket Man | 16min | SD 16:9 | Stereo
2005 | Alexander Berger DNA | 8min | SD 16:9 | Stereo
SCREENINGS
2021 | My Father + Drive Home Safe | Cinémathèque Québécoise | Montreal, QC
2019 | Drive Home Safe | Cinéma du Parc | Montreal, QC
2016 | Au Contraire Film Festival | Montreal, QC
2015 | REEL Recovery Film Fest | Los Angeles, CA
2015 | REEL Recovery Film Fest | New York, NY
2015 | Awareness Film Festival | Los Angeles, CA
2013 | Ndg Off the Wall | Montreal, QC
2010 | Film Pop | Montreal, QC
2010 | Fantasia Film Festival | Montreal, QC
2010 | Philadelphia Independent Film Fest | Philadelphia, PA
2010 | Calgary Underground Film Fest | Calgary, Alberta
2010 | New Directors, New Films | MoMA & Lincoln Center for the Arts | New York, NY
2010 | Les Rendez-vous du Cinéma Québecois | Montreal, QC
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 | Detroit is for Lovers | Lili & Oli | Montreal, Qc
2009 | Purgatory; or Some Place Like it | Emporium Gallery | Montreal, Qc
2007 | November Reign | Sub V Shop & Gallery | Montreal, Qc
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 | Pébéo Urban Art Prize: The Exhibition | Fluctuart – Centre d’Art Urbain | Paris, Fr
2020 | Beyond The Wall Of Sleep |Studio 206 | Montreal, Qc
2019 | Novos Desenhos | Galerie du Viaduc | Montreal, Qc
2019 | Everything Connected | Studio MW | Montreal, Qc
2011 | En Masse – Big Bang | The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts | Montreal, Qc
2009 | En Masse | Galerie Pangee | Montreal, Qc
2007 | Paper Back | Cinéma du Parc | Montreal, Qc
GRAFFITI + MURAL ART FESTIVALS
2014 | MURAL international, Urban Art Movement | Montreal, Qc
2010 | Under Pressure Graffiti Festival | Montreal, Qc
2008 | Under Pressure Graffiti Festival | Montreal, Qc
2007 | Under Pressure Graffiti Festival | Montreal, Qc
2005 | Under Pressure Graffiti Festival | Montreal, Qc
MENTORSHIPS + AWARDS + PRIZES
2021 | Magnum Photos, Long Term Mentorship with Matt Black and Susan Meiselas
2021 | Pébéo, Urban Art International Contest | Finalist