Docs on the Spot

Artists and festivalgoers celebrate documentary cinema together

The Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) is pleased to announce the return of the Beat Dox Sessions, now well established as an essential part of the festival. The music program for the 22^nd annual RIDM, curated by Pomeline Delgado, invites us to dance to infectious beats while discovering local and visiting artists at RIDM Headquarters in the Cinémathèque québécoise (335 De Maisonneuve Blvd. East).

The opening party will happen on Thursday, November 14 at 9:30 p.m., after the screening of The Disappearance of my Mother by Beniamino Barrese. To celebrate the opening of the 22^nd RIDM, several artists will take the spotlight, including Annie Sama’s Afro-Caribbean sounds, Fwonte and his electro-Haitian grooves, Montreal producer J.u.D., and the eminently danceable Akpossoul.

POP Montreal will present some of its finest sounds on Friday, November 15 starting at 9:30 p.m. Festivalgoers will enjoy a sensual electro-pop set by NOVEMBER, the princess of soul-pop, Sara Diamond and Gayance capping off the night in style.

In partnership with the SOIR festival, the evening of Saturday, November 16 will deliver healthy doses of pop and psychedelia. Electro-pop duo Bibi Club, Oodooo and DJ Raven will thrill the audience starting at 9:30 p.m.

The Cuban Hat Pitch, a colourful, festive activity on the Forum RIDM program, will return for the 9^th straight year on Monday, November 18 at 7:30 p.m. Selected project leaders will be invited to defend their idea on-stage for the public and high-profile jurors as they vie for the many prizes, totalling more than $40,000 in money and services, donated by our 20 partners. Everyone will get to vote for their favourite project!

On Tuesday, November 19, the famous RIDM Karaoke Night will start at 9:30 p.m., with the mic open to anyone who wants to sing their favourite song.

Thursday, November 21 at 9 p.m., the public is invited to join comedians Thomas Leblanc and Tranna Wintour for a live recording of Chosen Family, a CBC podcast exploring the intersection of art, identity and sexuality through frank, freewheeling conversations. At 10 p.m., the night continues with the sweet music of Titelaine, the heavy sounds of Caveboy and Tallandskiiny’s eclectic mix.           

On Friday, November 22, M pour Montréal teams up with the RIDM again for the festival’s penultimate party, featuring the captivating, upbeat sounds of LIA, Ragers and DJ Nana Zen.

The closing night for the 22^nd RIDM, on Saturday, November 23, will start with a screening of Drag Kids by Megan Wennberg. At 9:30 p.m., RIDM Headquarters will welcome the provocative and funky Big Sissy as well as DJ Frigid.

Documentaries focusing on music 

Many of the films in this year’s festival highlight powerful and talented musicians.

In the New Visions competitive section, the first feature film by Catherine Legault, Sisters: Dream and Variations invites us to discover the creative and personal worlds of two Montreal artists who deftly combine reality and dreams.

In the Canadian Short and Medium Length competition, the talented Joannie Lafrenière captures the life of an endearing and deeply committed Elvis fan in the short film King Lajoie.

In the UXdoc section, dedicated to interactive works, Bow't Trail looks at the work of choreographer Rhodnie Désir through the prism of African-descendant dance.

In the Portraits section, Cunningham by Alla Kovgan explores the vision of an utterly original artist, Merce Cunningham, partner and collaborator of John Cage, with whom he revolutionized the art of dance. In the same section, Narges Kalhor’s In the Name of Scheherazade or the First Beergarden in Tehran includes numerous hip-hop sequences. 

The RIDM wishes to thank its Beat Dox Sessions partners: POP Montréal, SOIR and M pour Montréal. This project has been made possible in part by FACTOR, the Government of Canada and the Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2019: Education, Immigration, Communities.

Quebec’s only film festival dedicated to documentaries, the Montreal International Documentary Festival presents the best reality‐based films, including the works of established directors and new talents.

The 22^nd annual RIDM will take place from November 14 to 24, 2019.

at the Cinémathèque québécoise, Centre Pierre-Péladeau, Cineplex Odeon Quartier Latin,

Cinéma du Parc, Cinéma Moderne and Concordia University.

Information : www.ridm.ca / info@ridm.ca

Facebook - Twitter - Instagram