Montreal’s RIDM Festival: Uniting Cinephiles Through the Medium of Documentary

Documentary films have the power to entertain as well as educate the cinephile, and for that reason I have a deep appreciation for the genre. The Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) is making a return in 2019 for its 22nd edition. Hosted from November 14th-24th, the festival showcases some of the best short and feature length documentaries from across the globe.

The opening film, The Disappearance of My Mother, a first feature by Italian filmmaker Beniamino Barrese, was one of the most popular films at the Sundance Film Festival. Barrese turns the lens on his mother Benedetta Barzini, a former model who became a journalist and spoke out against misogyny in the model industry; the film tells her story. On the other end of the lineup, closing off the festival is Drag Kids from director Megan Wennber. The film follows a group of kids who have a passion for performing as drag queens and the documentary goes behind the scenes of their first joint performance on the eve of the Montreal Pride festival. Here are some other documentaries that I think you should check out at this year’s edition of RIDM.. 

In the portraits section be sure not to miss Adolescentes from director Sébastien Lifshitz. This documentary takes the form of a Cinéma Vérité and follows Emma and Anaïs who are two childhood friends living in France going through their pivotal adolescent years. Capturing their everyday life including love, parents, and the state of the world, Lifshitz also examines French society in the aftermath of the 2015 terror attacks and the growing social-cultural inequality. 

*November 23rd 18H00 Cinémathèque Québécoise Salle D 

*November 24th 20H00 Cinéma Cineplex Quartier Latin Salle 10

The Hottest August from director Brett Story in the Canadian Feature Competition, is a collection of interviews with New Yorkers on the anxieties of our time. Included in these topics are Trump’s ascension to power, the rise of white nationalism, and the devastating effects of climate change. The overall question entails how these citizens are coping and what strategies they use to cope with these anxieties while the hottest month of the year is in effect. 

*November 18th 20H45 Cinéma Du Parc Salle 2 

*November 19th 17H30 Cinémathèque Québécoise Salle D

This Is Not a Movie from director Young Chang in the Canadian Features Competition is a look at one of the most important reporters from the Middle East conflicts, Robert Fisk. From the troubles in Ireland, to the modern conflicts of war Fisk continues to venture into battle zones in search for stories that deal with complexities on the ground. An intimate portrait of a reporter that delivers lessons on history and journalism, be sure not to miss an interview with Young Chang coming soon to the CJLO Magazine page. 

*November 17th 20H00 Cinéma Cineplex Quartier Latin Salle 10

*November 18th 18H00 Cinéma Du Parc Salle 2

Catch these films and many more from at the Montreal International Documentary Festival from November 14th to 24th.

Remi is the host of At The Movies which features everything new and noteworthy in the world of cinema. The show goes live every Tuesday at 8:00 AM.