Surrealism is a movement based on an emerging view of art, psychology and the functioning of the mind. Popularly associated with the works of Salvador Dali, surrealist art appropriates imagery and ideology and creates correlation where none exists, creating new forms of art. In this essay, I will seek to explore the creation of the Surrealist movement, including the Surrealist Manifesto, to highlight the importance of these artists and their work in the 20th century and beyond. I will also look at films from our European cinema class to express how the films incorporate the influence of surrealism both intentionally and unintentionally. To begin, we will look at the ideals and influences that led to the formation of Surrealist ideals, starting with something that sparked multiple artistic movements, World War I. Many French artists were displaced during the war and adopted ideals that reflected their dissatisfaction with the results of rationalism, in their view a cause of the war itself (http://www.wisegeek.com/what- is-surrealism.htm). These artists called themselves "Dadaists" and believed in the concept of "anti-art", a rejection of previous values ​​linked to rational or bourgeois ideals. Upon their return to Paris after the war, these artists introduced the idea of ​​anti-art and began expressing their ideas through performances, written works, and various other forms that resembled the absurd or ridiculous to ridiculing the formal presentation of art and realism. These protests, however, were driven more by social and aesthetic commentary than by the Surrealists, who focused more on the effects of art of the mind, both in creation and in visualization. The important spark occurred in 1924, when André Breton published the "Surrealist Manifestos...... middle of paper...... from successful films to smaller independent feature films. The suspension of reality inherent in watching any film is a device that the surrealists sought to employ, the image that abruptly defies the expectations of concrete reality.Works CitedThe discreet charm of the bourgeoisie. Real. Luis Buñuel. Perf. Fernando Rey. 1972. The Seventh Seal. Real. Ingmar Bergman. Perf. Max Von Sydow. AB Svensk Film industry, 1957. DVD. Neginsky, Rosina. “Conference on Surrealism”. Microsoft Word file. November 28, 2011. Neginsky, Rosina. “Surrealism, interesting information.” Microsoft Word file. November 28, 2011. “What is surrealism? WiseGeek, and Web. November 28, 2011. Voorhies, James. "Surrealism." The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sd Web. November 28, 2011.Magrini, James M. ““Surrealism” and the omnipotence of cinema. » Sense of cinema, nd Web. November 28. 2011.