The Behind the Mask exhibit at the Vernon Public Art Gallery (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Making A Difference Awards

Behind the Mask documentary receives honourable mention at prestigious award

Dec 8, 2023 | 3:54 PM

A mini-documentary on a Vernon-based project received a nod at a prestigious film festival.

The ‘Behind the Mask’ film received an honourable mention in the Making a Difference Awards (MADA) category at the Commffest Global Community Film & Arts Festival 2023 in Toronto.

MADA recognizes work that serves as a catalyst for social good and community enrichment, and the 2022 project undertaken in partnership with the Vernon Public Art Gallery met those standards.

‘Behind the Mask’ features 10 people from Vernon who delve into their personal narratives to explain their unseen vulnerabilities with mental health challenges by creating a representation in the form of a mask.

The project was launched with the added intention of becoming a series of murals in Vernon, although city council ultimately decided not to pursue that option.

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The artists donned their masks and were photographed in various locations for the murals, and those images were shrunk down to gallery size and displayed with the masks at Vernon Public Art Gallery.

The ‘Behind the Mask’ work is now a travelling exhibition.

The Behind the Mask mini-documentary can be seen at the Vernon Public Art Gallery website.