CINEMANIA

Francophone Film Festival

With a 26th edition adapted to our current circumstances, CINEMANIA is re-centering its selection on the very best Francophone productions available. With its programming, the festival reminds us of the importance of cultural pluralism, and how crucial it is for major Francophone communities to engage in dialogue with one another. With forays into the three major poles of production that are Europe, Africa, and North America, and thanks to a strong Quebec presence, now more than ever, CINEMANIA’s programming will help enhance the influence of Francophone culture as a whole.

CINEMANIA has set up an online screening platform for the duration of the Festival enabling audiences not only in Montreal but also in the rest of Quebec and Canada to watch films from our selection in the comfort of their home. From the 4th to the 22nd of November, this online version will be made up of a 100 international films, the majority of which are North American premieres.

Additionally, the Festival opens a new chapter in its history by offering 40 short feature films, an original selection with an emphasis on creativity and diversity. For the very first time, the Festival is launching a short-film competition with a specialized jury. The Nespresso-AQCC Jury Prize has been created for this purpose. Further, our association with REGARD – The Saguenay International Short Film Festival, whose 24th edition was abruptly interrupted by the quarantine, is indicative of the strong ties we maintain with our colleagues. An anthology of key films shown since 2014 at REGARD will be made available free of charge to CINEMANIA viewers.

This 26th edition also highlights the vital forces of Québécois cinema, from Kim Obomsawin’s moving CALL ME HUMAN to Neegan Trudel’s first feature film VACARME, as well as Philippe Lacôte’s co-production NIGHT OF THE KINGS and, of course, Valérie Lemercier’s ALINE, inspired by the life of Céline Dion. It is also a great pleasure to celebrate the career of the director Louis Bélanger, the guest of honour and the subject of a documentary portrait, produced and directed by CINEMANIA.

As the “Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie” (OIF) celebrates its 50th anniversary, our film selection takes another step toward a greater Francophonie, vibrant and creative, with new feature films from the Ivory-Coast, Morocco, France, Luxembourg, Rwanda and Belgium.

The actress Juliette Gosselin whom we saw on screen in FABULOUS, 1991, and TADOUSSAC will preside over the Youth Jury. Ten feature films that speak to political and social concerns of the world today are eligible for the TV5 Francophone Youth Prize for the Best Feature Film.

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