The Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) unveils a preview of its 28th edition, taking place from November 20 to 30, 2025. Six films combining highly anticipated Quebec films and major international titles carefully selected by the programming team.

I LOST SIGHT OF THE LANDSCAPE (J'ai perdu de vue le paysage) by Sophie Bédard Marcotte

Filmmaker Sophie Bédard Marcotte (L.A. Tea Time, Winter Claire) paints an intimate yet playful portrait of her neighbour, a playwright in the midst of creating a play loosely based on the Myth of Sisyphus. Presented as a World Premiere at Visions du Réel, I Lost Sight of the Landscape stood out during the Rough Cut Pitch of the Forum RIDM in 2024, revealing a unique and playful project.

Synopsis : At once cerebral, touching, and funny, this dense, minimalist (auto)biographical film unfolds as a creative observation on artistic exploration and life

SPARE MY BONES, COYOTE! by Jonah Malak

After a notable run at Hot Docs and DOXA, Jonah Malak’s immersive and deeply human film Spare my bones, Coyote! will be presented to Quebec audiences at RIDM.

Synopsis : In the arid hell of the U.S.-Mexico border, a couple of Mexican volunteers struggle to restore dignity to the victims of a tragic migratory journey. 

TRUE NORTH by Michèle Stephenson

Presented in World Premiere at TIFF, True North by Michèle Stephenson (Stateless, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project) revisits the role of Roosevelt (Rosie) Douglas and the 1968 student protest at Sir George Williams University in Montreal, revealing a pivotal moment of resistance against racism in Canada.

Synopsis: This film of eloquent archives looks back on an important movement of resistance and protest against racism toward Black people in Montreal to create a potent act of remembrance.

ANCESTRAL VISIONS OF THE FUTURE by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese

Screened at the Berlinale and at Locarno, Ancestral Visions of the Future by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese will be presented for the first time in Quebec at RIDM. Presented as an ode to cinema and a tribute to his mother, this poetic and personal feature film is a continuation of the director’s work.

Synopsis: Made up of powerful, symbolic images, this captivating and poetic cinematic testimony explores an inventive and free-flowing look at exile, memory, and the future.

IMAGO by Déni Oumar Pitsaev 

Winner of two awards at Cannes (French Touch Prize of the Jury at the Semaine de la Critique, Oeil d’or for Top Documentary), Imago joins the RIDM lineup. In this feature debut, the filmmaker transforms his personal journey into a meditation on exile, identity, and memory. 

Synopsis : Set in a village in Georgia’s Pankisi Valley near the Chechen border, Imago follows filmmaker Déni Oumar Pitsaev as he confronts generational silence and cultural displacement while dreaming of a home and a life beyond convention.

SIRENS CALL by Miri Ian Gossing & Lina Sieckmann

Finally, after garnering international attention, particularly at the Berlinale, Sirens Call by Miri Ian Gossing and Lina Sieckmann will be presented at RIDM. Blending documentary, science fiction, and road movie, the film explores the merfolk subculture,  a community adopting the imagery of mythological sea creatures as a form of self-expression.

Synopsis : An enigmatic mermaid takes a meditative look at the world around her. When she finds her community, the film offers a profound reflection on existence and resistance.