Docs on the Spot

Local artists fill the festival’s evenings with free music

The Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) is pleased to announce the return of the Beat Dox Sessions for the festival’s 20^th anniversary edition, starting this Thursday, November 9. This year’s Beat Dox Sessions, programmed by Ouss Laghzaoui, are free evening concerts showcasing local artists at the RIDM Headquarters, in the Cinémathèque québécoise (335 de Maisonneuve Blvd. East).

Opening night, presented in collaboration with Arbutus, starts at 10 p.m. on Thursday, November 9. Festivalgoers will celebrate the launch of the 20^th annual RIDM with the enthralling synth-pop of Moon King, GG Peach and Venus. The evening ends with a DJ set by Devo b.

Blue Skies Turn Black is working with the festival once again for the session on Friday, November 10, featuring the experimental rock of Technical Kidman, the “cream-pop” of Bodywash, melancholy lo-fi by Maggy France, and the beats of DJ Anabasine.

The evening of Saturday, November 11, presented in collaboration with Pop Montréal, GreenGround and Les Films du 3 mars promises to be an exciting one. Reinvented classic rock takes the stage with Spirit Heights, Inland Island, Tamara Sandor and DJ Excalibur.

Monday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m., the ever-popular Cuban Hat Pitch is a public event during the Doc Circuit Montréal professional market. Everyone is invited to attend the pitches given by the five finalists, followed by the naming of the winner. There will be a DJ set following the pitch session.

On Tuesday, November 14, everyone is invited to join in the traditional RIDM karaoke night. This year’s party, starting at 10 p.m., will be emceed by RIDM veteran and wild performance specialist Joanne Geha.

In conjunction with the world premiere of L’autre Rio, Les Films du 3 mars and Colonelle Films invite festivalgoers on a musical journey to Brazil with the sounds of the Tupi Collective DJs and percussion group Alayê on Wednesday, November 15 at 8:30 p.m.

On Thursday, November 16, Media Queer celebrates the special screening of the Désorienter la diaspora program with an evening of performances by Lonely Boa, Lucas Charlie Rose and DJs Bamboo and Frankie Teardrop.

Friday, November 17, in collaboration with M pour Montréal, the Beat Dox Sessions present Walrus, Wizaard, Everett Bird and DJ Dominic Berthiaume to kick off the final weekend of RIDM 2017 with funk, psychedelia and a selection of cult gems.               

The closing night of the 20^th RIDM begins with the screening of Nothingwood by Sonia Kronlund presented by the French consulate’s cultural cooperation and action group. Afterwards, in collaboration with CISM, the closing party at the Cinémathèque Québécoise will groove to the modern electro-pop of Doldrums, Beige-à-coeur, Syzzors and DJ Voila.

Musical documentaries

This year’s festival includes two works that highlight the impact of exceptional musicians.

In the Portraits section, Christine Franz’s first feature film, Bunch of Kunst, explores the world of British band Sleaford Mods, dubbed by Iggy Pop the “world’s greatest rock’n’roll band.”

In the UXdoc section, focusing on interactive projects, the online experience Zeki Müren Hotline (Beyza Boyacioglu and Jeff Soyk) creates a space for shared memories of a popular Turkish singer of the 1950s through 1990s who became an icon of the LGBTQ+ movement.

Thanks to the RIDM’s loyal partners

The RIDM gratefully acknowledges the support of its institutional, primary and associate partners, who have helped make this year’s 20th edition a memorable one. Thanks to the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications, SODEC, the Secrétariat de la région métropolitaine, Telefilm Canada, the Ville de Montréal, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, Bell Media, the CSN, Canal D, the Canada Media Fund, FACTOR, Radio-Canada, Télé-Québec, Planète+, TV5, Tourisme Montréal, Cineplex, Cinéma du Parc, Concordia University, the Université du Québec à Montréal and the Cinémathèque québécoise.

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 20^th annual RIDM will take place from November 9 to 19, 2017

at the Cinémathèque québécoise, Cinéma du Parc, Cinéplex Quartier Latin, Pavillon Judith Jasmin Annexe (UQAM) and Concordia University.

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