The Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) is one of North America’s leading documentary film festivals. Each year, the RIDM presents around a hundred Canadian and international documentaries. Its industry event, Forum RIDM, is Quebec’s only documentary forum.

History

Founded in 1998 by a group of Quebec filmmakers, the RIDM aims to present a selection of the year’s best documentaries. Early editions showed about 40 films over five days; today the festival has grown to have a schedule of more than 120 films along with retrospectives, debates, and parallel activities. Since 2004, it has also included a documentary market, Forum RIDM. The RIDM’s audience has doubled in size since 2011; the festival now attracts more than 63,000 people.

A unique program

The RIDM seeks first and foremost to promote and reflect on the most stimulating and diverse visions of documentary cinema. From works dealing with hot-button issues to daring creations that renew the language of cinema, the RIDM’s selections are aimed at an annual renewal of our relationship with the world and with the documentary as an art form.

Meeting the audience

Originally conceived as a filmmakers’ festival, the RIDM also works to bring artists and audiences together. For 10 days each year, master classes, round tables, and thematic discussions are organized for the general public and industry professionals. Afterward, everyone is welcome to gather in the festival’s headquarters, which boasts an ambiance designed to encourage casual discussion and celebration.

An essential professional gathering

Since 2004, Forum RIDM, Quebec’s documentary forum co-founded with DOC Québec, has supported and stimulated independent documentary production, enabling discussions among professionals, artists, producers, distributors and exhibitors of every stripe. Now taking place over five days, Forum RIDM has enhanced its program with mentorship initiatives (Doc Lab) and professional sessions that take an active role in the creation of new documentaries and the training of new talent.