Montreal International Documentary Festival

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Schedule

15 - 26 Nov. 2023

Cinéma du Musée
Cinéma du Parc - Salle 2
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Crave
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Fernand-Seguin
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Norman-McLaren
OBORO - Centre d'artistes
8h
9h
10h
11h
12h
13h
14h
15h
16h
17h
18h
19h
20h
21h
22h
23h
24h
1h
15:45 Youth (Spring)
Wang Bing | 2023 | Cantonese | S.T French

Fully immersed, with a hand-held camera, Wang Bing turns an unfiltered gaze on the lives of young workers in the textile factories of Zhili, China.

See full details
20:00 Novembre *
Karine van Ameringen, Iphigénie Marcoux-Fortier | 2023 | French, English | S.T French

Filmmakers embark on a unique geographic and human journey, capturing the gloom and melancholy of fall in Montreal—and, perhaps more broadly, of our time.

See full details
13:15 Éviction *
mathilde capone | 2023 | French | S.T French

Evicted from their apartment, a group of queer housemates searches for a new home while mourning the difficult loss of the one they must leave.

See full details
15:45 Background
Khaled Abdulwahed | 2023 | Arabic | S.T English

From Germany, the filmmaker talks to his father in Syria. In between long silences, the film evokes the feeling of powerlessness brought on by exile.

See full details
18:00 Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson | 2023 | English

An intimate portrait of a woman whose unsettling candor has made her one of the most influential voices in the movements for social justice and equality in the United States.

See full details
20:30 Nowhere Near
Miko Revereza | 2023 | English, Tagalog | S.T English

Experimental filmmaker Miko Revereza delivers an intimate and introspective depiction of migrant identity, examining his relationships with his family and his art.

See full details
13:00 Aqueronte / Vision of Paradise / Cold and Dark*
(1) Aqueronte
Manuel Muñoz Rivas | 2023 | Spanish | S.T English

During a ferry ride, the space between two shores allows us to observe ferry passengers under a fog both literal and suggestive of time suspended.

See full details
(2) Vision of Paradise
Leonardo Pirondi | 2022 | Portuguese, English | S.T English

Comparing the exploratory voyages of the 15th century with the ambitions of virtual reality, this film suggests a common goal of expanding reality.

See full details
(3) Cold and Dark
Peter Hošták | 2023 | Slovak | S.T English

Deeply atmospheric and textural, Cold and Dark explores the challenges faced by a small group of Slovakian loggers and their workhorse, Kubo.

See full details
15:15 La déconstruction de Baveuse City / Immortelles /...*
(1) La déconstruction de Baveuse City
Chloé Pilon Vaillancourt | 2023 | French | S.T English

A deep-dive into an imaginary world built from scratch, this music short by Montreal rapper Marie-Gold shows the creative process behind her latest album.

See full details
(2) Immortelles
Mark Durand | 2023 | French | S.T English

With poetic narration by artist Bettina Szabo and captivating images of nature, experimental short film Immortelles focuses on the creative act in all its complexity.

See full details
(3) Let The Red Moon Burn
Ralitsa Doncheva | 2023 | - Without dialogue | S.T English

This poetic, immersive short on the edge of experimental cinema transports us into an age-old tradition of fire dancing celebrated every summer in Bulgaria.

See full details
(4) Somehow Continue
Karl Lemieux | 2023 | - Without dialogue | S.T English

Shot on 16 mm, this medium-length film creatively portrays the creation of an outdoor performance by choreographer Dana Gingras, combining dance, music, and video installation.

See full details
18:00 Feet in Water, Head on Fire *
Terra Long | 2023 | Spanish, English, Cahuilla | S.T French

Terra Long’s experimental documentary is a hypnotizing, sensory, and evocative look at how date palms have forged the Coachella Valley’s identity.

See full details
20:30 The Echo
Tatiana Huezo | 2023 | Spanish | S.T English

A sensitive immersion in the village of El Eco from a child's point of view, this film captures the naturalness of a full daily life, punctuated by nature, traditions and hope.

See full details
20:00 The Oceans are the Real Continents *
Tommaso Santambrogio | 2023 | Spanish | S.T English

In a peaceful Cuban village, life seems measured out in goodbyes, and the heartache of departures haunts three generations of its residents.

See full details
13:15 Meezan *
Shahab Mihandoust | 2023 | Farsi, Arabic | S.T English

From the perspective of manual workers in Khuzestan, Meezan explores the relationship to place in a post-war, post-industrialized world.

See full details
15:30 This Woman
Alan Zhang | 2022 | Hubei | S.T English

This Woman brilliantly depicts the various issues facing women in contemporary China through the highly attachable and whimsical leading character Beibei, whose choices challenge the expected traditional gender roles.

See full details
18:00 Vintersaga
Carl Olsson | 2023 | Swedish | S.T English

Against the gentle melancholy of Swedish winter, Carl Olsson skillfully interweaves a breathtaking array of characters and life moments.

See full details
13:00 Panel : Documentary Practices in the Performing Arts
Panel : Documentary Practices in the Performing Arts

Driven by a desire to break down barriers between artistic practices, this roundtable will bring together artists from a variety of disciplines. It will enable participants to take a closer look at the many forms of creative documentary expression, drawing on different types of performing arts.

Panelists: Adam Kinner + Olivier Godin (La suite canadienne), Mélodie Noël Rousseau + Geneviève Labelle (Pleurer Dans' Douche), Karl Lemieux (Somehow Continue)

This activity is free and will be held in French.

See full details
17:00 Awards Ceremony
22:00 Closing Night with Dj Pastis and DJ PØPTRT
Closing Night with Dj Pastis and DJ PØPTRT

What better to celebrate a succesful edition of the festival than a good old festive evening ! We talk, we drink, we dance, we relax and we celebrate documentary !

This activity is free.

See full details
10:00 The Work of Solidarity: The Role of Cultural Organisations in Times of Crisis
The Work of Solidarity: The Role of Cultural Organisations in Times of Crisis

Cultural institutions play a significant role in shaping narratives by influencing the creation, dissemination, and interpretation of cultural works. Their curatorial choices, representational mandates, educational initiatives and engagements with the public can reinforce oppressive discourses and contribute to the censoring and silencing of marginalized voices. Alternatively, these decisions can elevate marginalized voices and amplify counter-perspectives to challenge hegemonic narratives and, crucially, to foster critical thinking and engagement. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are not just principles to be performed by offering a multicultural program or creating spaces for reflections and compilation. They entail a real commitment to social justice, and solidarity with the movements that strive to achieve it. In times of crisis, and within a climate of extreme political polarization, this solidarity can no longer be merely performative. It entails a genuine commitment that often comes at a cost for artists, cultural workers, as well as cultural organizations.

Are cultural institutions willing to do the work of solidarity as they lend support to marginalized voices and take a firm political stance during times of crisis?

How do institutions’ commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and their investment in decolonization---as responses to calls by movements like BLM, Me Too, and Land Back---manifest in times of crisis and in relation to other social movements dedicated to justice and liberation?

How are the strategies employed by institutions to tackle these challenges intricately linked to scale, governance structure, funding sources, and audience demographics?

What does true solidarity look like for cultural institutions as they genuinely support underrepresented and oppressed communities rather than tokenizing them to fulfill EDI mandates?

And what new possibilities between different artists, organizations, institutions, communities, and movements does the work of solidarity open up?

This roundtable brings together cultural workers, researchers, and artists in a conversation on how they navigate different institutional spaces and engage with these urgent questions.

Participants: Muhammad el Khairy and Farah Atoui (Regards Palestiniens), Aude Renaud-Lorrain and Philippe Bouchard-Cholette (Cinéma Public), Krista Lynes (Feminist Media Studio at Concordia University), Sharlene Bamboat (Cultural worker & Independent Filmmaker), Chantal Partamian (Filmmaker & Archivist), Nour Ouayda (Filmmaker & Film Programmer)

Moderated by: Monique Simard

See full details
12:00 Sky Hopinka Installation : The Island Weights
Sky Hopinka Installation : The Island Weights

This two-channel film by artist Sky Hopinka is based on the tale of the four water spirits known as Island Weights. In the creation story of Ho-Chunk, the artist’s home nation, the spirits are placed at the Earth’s cardinal points, ensuring that its rotation is not chaotic. Ho-Chunk, now known as Wisconsin, translates as “People of the Great Voice” and stretches from Red Banks to Trempealeau, and from Minneapolis to Milwaukee. The film is divided into 5 parts — Wijirawaséwe (Island Weights), yoiréreginarere (the west), rek’úhuhíra (the south), h??boguominàgara (the east), siniwagúregin?gere (the north) — and follows an individual as he recounts his journey along the boundaries of Ho-Chunk lands. Visually, the viewer is drawn from the tumultuous waves of the Mississippi to serene forests, tranquil lakes, enormous shopping malls, earthen effigies and Ho-Chunk relics. The narrator is not only looking for the spirits, but also wishes to honor them.

The presentation of this installation is made possible with the support of OBORO - Centre d'artistes and is part of the retrospective Sky Hopinka : Redefining Potential Territories.

Adress: 4001, Berri Street, Space 301, Montréal, H2L 4H2

Schedule :
Nov. 22nd | 12 h — 17 h
Nov. 23rd | 12 h — 19 h
Nov. 24th | 12 h — 17 h
Nov. 25th | 12 h — 17 h

This activity is free and is available in English and in French.

See full details
8h
9h
10h
11h
12h
13h
14h
15h
16h
17h
18h
19h
20h
21h
22h
23h
24h
1h

Activity or Event

Screening

*Director or crew member in attendance

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10h
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Norman-McLaren
10H00 The Work of Solidarity: The Role of Cultural Organisations in Times of Crisis
The Work of Solidarity: The Role of Cultural Organisations in Times of Crisis

Cultural institutions play a significant role in shaping narratives by influencing the creation, dissemination, and interpretation of cultural works. Their curatorial choices, representational mandates, educational initiatives and engagements with the public can reinforce oppressive discourses and contribute to the censoring and silencing of marginalized voices. Alternatively, these decisions can elevate marginalized voices and amplify counter-perspectives to challenge hegemonic narratives and, crucially, to foster critical thinking and engagement. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are not just principles to be performed by offering a multicultural program or creating spaces for reflections and compilation. They entail a real commitment to social justice, and solidarity with the movements that strive to achieve it. In times of crisis, and within a climate of extreme political polarization, this solidarity can no longer be merely performative. It entails a genuine commitment that often comes at a cost for artists, cultural workers, as well as cultural organizations.

Are cultural institutions willing to do the work of solidarity as they lend support to marginalized voices and take a firm political stance during times of crisis?

How do institutions’ commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and their investment in decolonization---as responses to calls by movements like BLM, Me Too, and Land Back---manifest in times of crisis and in relation to other social movements dedicated to justice and liberation?

How are the strategies employed by institutions to tackle these challenges intricately linked to scale, governance structure, funding sources, and audience demographics?

What does true solidarity look like for cultural institutions as they genuinely support underrepresented and oppressed communities rather than tokenizing them to fulfill EDI mandates?

And what new possibilities between different artists, organizations, institutions, communities, and movements does the work of solidarity open up?

This roundtable brings together cultural workers, researchers, and artists in a conversation on how they navigate different institutional spaces and engage with these urgent questions.

Participants: Muhammad el Khairy and Farah Atoui (Regards Palestiniens), Aude Renaud-Lorrain and Philippe Bouchard-Cholette (Cinéma Public), Krista Lynes (Feminist Media Studio at Concordia University), Sharlene Bamboat (Cultural worker & Independent Filmmaker), Chantal Partamian (Filmmaker & Archivist), Nour Ouayda (Filmmaker & Film Programmer)

Moderated by: Monique Simard

More info
12h
OBORO - Centre d'artistes
12H00 Sky Hopinka Installation : The Island Weights
Sky Hopinka Installation : The Island Weights

This two-channel film by artist Sky Hopinka is based on the tale of the four water spirits known as Island Weights. In the creation story of Ho-Chunk, the artist’s home nation, the spirits are placed at the Earth’s cardinal points, ensuring that its rotation is not chaotic. Ho-Chunk, now known as Wisconsin, translates as “People of the Great Voice” and stretches from Red Banks to Trempealeau, and from Minneapolis to Milwaukee. The film is divided into 5 parts — Wijirawaséwe (Island Weights), yoiréreginarere (the west), rek’úhuhíra (the south), h??boguominàgara (the east), siniwagúregin?gere (the north) — and follows an individual as he recounts his journey along the boundaries of Ho-Chunk lands. Visually, the viewer is drawn from the tumultuous waves of the Mississippi to serene forests, tranquil lakes, enormous shopping malls, earthen effigies and Ho-Chunk relics. The narrator is not only looking for the spirits, but also wishes to honor them.

The presentation of this installation is made possible with the support of OBORO - Centre d'artistes and is part of the retrospective Sky Hopinka : Redefining Potential Territories.

Adress: 4001, Berri Street, Space 301, Montréal, H2L 4H2

Schedule :
Nov. 22nd | 12 h — 17 h
Nov. 23rd | 12 h — 19 h
Nov. 24th | 12 h — 17 h
Nov. 25th | 12 h — 17 h

This activity is free and is available in English and in French.

More info
13h
Cinéma du Parc - Salle 2
13H15 Éviction *
mathilde capone | 2023 | French | S.T. French close caption or English

Evicted from their apartment, a group of queer housemates searches for a new home while mourning the difficult loss of the one they must leave.

See full details
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Crave
13H00 Aqueronte / Vision of Paradise / Cold and Dark*
(1) Aqueronte
Manuel Muñoz Rivas | 2023 | Spanish | S.T. English

During a ferry ride, the space between two shores allows us to observe ferry passengers under a fog both literal and suggestive of time suspended.

See full details (2) Vision of Paradise
Leonardo Pirondi | 2022 | Portuguese, English | S.T. English

Comparing the exploratory voyages of the 15th century with the ambitions of virtual reality, this film suggests a common goal of expanding reality.

See full details (3) Cold and Dark
Peter Hošták | 2023 | Slovak | S.T. English

Deeply atmospheric and textural, Cold and Dark explores the challenges faced by a small group of Slovakian loggers and their workhorse, Kubo.

See full details
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Fernand-Seguin
13H15 Meezan *
Shahab Mihandoust | 2023 | Farsi, Arabic | S.T. English

From the perspective of manual workers in Khuzestan, Meezan explores the relationship to place in a post-war, post-industrialized world.

See full details
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Norman-McLaren
13H00 Panel : Documentary Practices in the Performing Arts
Panel : Documentary Practices in the Performing Arts

Driven by a desire to break down barriers between artistic practices, this roundtable will bring together artists from a variety of disciplines. It will enable participants to take a closer look at the many forms of creative documentary expression, drawing on different types of performing arts.

Panelists: Adam Kinner + Olivier Godin (La suite canadienne), Mélodie Noël Rousseau + Geneviève Labelle (Pleurer Dans' Douche), Karl Lemieux (Somehow Continue)

This activity is free and will be held in French.

More info
15h
Cinéma du Musée
15H45 Youth (Spring)
Wang Bing | 2023 | Cantonese | S.T. French and English

Fully immersed, with a hand-held camera, Wang Bing turns an unfiltered gaze on the lives of young workers in the textile factories of Zhili, China.

See full details
Cinéma du Parc - Salle 2
15H45 Background
Khaled Abdulwahed | 2023 | Arabic | S.T. French or English

From Germany, the filmmaker talks to his father in Syria. In between long silences, the film evokes the feeling of powerlessness brought on by exile.

See full details
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Crave
15H15 La déconstruction de Baveuse City / Immortelles /...*
(1) La déconstruction de Baveuse City
Chloé Pilon Vaillancourt | 2023 | French | S.T. English

A deep-dive into an imaginary world built from scratch, this music short by Montreal rapper Marie-Gold shows the creative process behind her latest album.

See full details (2) Immortelles
Mark Durand | 2023 | French | S.T. English

With poetic narration by artist Bettina Szabo and captivating images of nature, experimental short film Immortelles focuses on the creative act in all its complexity.

See full details (3) Let The Red Moon Burn
Ralitsa Doncheva | 2023 | - Without dialogue

This poetic, immersive short on the edge of experimental cinema transports us into an age-old tradition of fire dancing celebrated every summer in Bulgaria.

See full details (4) Somehow Continue
Karl Lemieux | 2023 | - Without dialogue

Shot on 16 mm, this medium-length film creatively portrays the creation of an outdoor performance by choreographer Dana Gingras, combining dance, music, and video installation.

See full details
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Fernand-Seguin
15H30 This Woman
Alan Zhang | 2022 | Hubei | S.T. English

This Woman brilliantly depicts the various issues facing women in contemporary China through the highly attachable and whimsical leading character Beibei, whose choices challenge the expected traditional gender roles.

See full details
17h
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Norman-McLaren
17H00 Awards Ceremony
Awards Ceremony

More info
18h
Cinéma du Parc - Salle 2
18H00 Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson | 2023 | English

An intimate portrait of a woman whose unsettling candor has made her one of the most influential voices in the movements for social justice and equality in the United States.

See full details
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Crave
18H00 Feet in Water, Head on Fire *
Terra Long | 2023 | Spanish, English, Cahuilla | S.T. French or English

Terra Long’s experimental documentary is a hypnotizing, sensory, and evocative look at how date palms have forged the Coachella Valley’s identity.

See full details
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Fernand-Seguin
18H00 Vintersaga
Carl Olsson | 2023 | Swedish | S.T. English

Against the gentle melancholy of Swedish winter, Carl Olsson skillfully interweaves a breathtaking array of characters and life moments.

See full details
20h
Cinéma du Musée
20H00 Novembre *
Karine van Ameringen, Iphigénie Marcoux-Fortier | 2023 | French, English | S.T. French and English

Filmmakers embark on a unique geographic and human journey, capturing the gloom and melancholy of fall in Montreal—and, perhaps more broadly, of our time.

See full details
Cinéma du Parc - Salle 2
20H30 Nowhere Near
Miko Revereza | 2023 | English, Tagalog | S.T. English

Experimental filmmaker Miko Revereza delivers an intimate and introspective depiction of migrant identity, examining his relationships with his family and his art.

See full details
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Crave
20H30 The Echo
Tatiana Huezo | 2023 | Spanish | S.T. French or English

A sensitive immersion in the village of El Eco from a child's point of view, this film captures the naturalness of a full daily life, punctuated by nature, traditions and hope.

See full details
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Fernand-Seguin
20H00 The Oceans are the Real Continents *
Tommaso Santambrogio | 2023 | Spanish | S.T. English

In a peaceful Cuban village, life seems measured out in goodbyes, and the heartache of departures haunts three generations of its residents.

See full details
22h
Cinémathèque québécoise - Salle Norman-McLaren
22H00 Closing Night with Dj Pastis and DJ PØPTRT
Closing Night with Dj Pastis and DJ PØPTRT

What better to celebrate a succesful edition of the festival than a good old festive evening ! We talk, we drink, we dance, we relax and we celebrate documentary !

This activity is free.

More info
16h30After circus *

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Discover the best in documentary, take part in our year-round activities, and make the most of your festival!

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Discover the best in documentary, take part in our year-round activities, and make the most of your festival!