Now in its 37th annual edition, Montreal’s Festival des films du monde, theme this year is “The World is Yours!”. The festival starts on Thursday (August 22) and continues until September 2.
The festival’s director Serge Losique says the festival “offers film lovers and professionals a rich program based on cultural diversity, innovation, independence and creativity. The success and international reputation of the Montreal World Film Festival are firmly linked to these principles and goals.”
Losique says commercial cinemas are dominated by blockbuster films, and that his festival offers an alternative. Without it, he says Montreal’s film landscape “would be drastically reduced”.
This year’s edition presents 218 feature films, 4 medium length films, and 200 shorts. Oscar winning Czech director Jirí Menzel (Closely Watched Trains) is the jury president this year.
Not everyone shares Losique’s confidence in the festival. In an article published by the Montreal Gazette titled “Festival des films du monde stuck in a bygone era” entertainment writer Brendan Kelly suggests the festival needs a rethink and no longer attracts the big names it used to.
In an interview with the Montreal Gazette last week, Losique suggested the Cannes approach to film with its focus on fashion, and models would not be accepted in Montreal. “Here, we couldn’t do that. The public wouldn’t allow it,” he told journalist T’Cha Dunlevy. “I have always defended true cinematic culture, in Montreal and Quebec.”
More information:
Montreal World Film Festival, president’s message – here
Festival des films du monde (in English) – www.ffm-montreal.org
Brendan Kelly/Montreal Gazette – Festival des films du monde stuck in a bygone era – here
T’Cha Dunlevy/Montreal Gazette – Serge Losique is fiercely proud of the Festival des films du monde – here
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