Montreal, Wednesday, January 28, 2026 — The Board of Directors of the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) and Forum RIDM announces the departure of Executive Director Marc Gauthier, following a remarkable 2025 edition. Appointed during the height of the pandemic, Marc led both organizations through a period of profound uncertainty, ensuring a stable and well-structured recovery. His tenure was marked by a collegial approach to leadership, strengthened governance, the development of strategic partnerships, and the affirmation of a strong identity, both locally and internationally. He steps down after five years at the helm of the festival and its professional market.
The Board of Directors warmly thanks him for his commitment and his discreet yet determined leadership, which helped establish RIDM as a thoughtful, bold, and deeply human event. At the same time, the Board announces the appointment of Mégane Chatelet as Interim Executive Director of RIDM and Forum RIDM, effective February 2026.
Mégane joined the team in 2023 as Co-Head of Partnerships before being promoted to Director of Partnerships the following year. She quickly distinguished herself through her professionalism, high standards, and deep knowledge of the cultural sector. Her understanding of artistic, financial, and institutional issues, combined with her strong capacity to mobilize teams, makes her ideally suited to ensure a stable and coherent transition. The Board of Directors and the RIDM team extend their full support to her in this new role.
Trained in social sciences, Mégane Chatelet brings a keen perspective to the structures, institutions, and dynamics that shape cultural practices. She holds a Master’s degree in Cultural Management from HEC Montréal, a Master’s degree in Information and Communication Sciences, and training in anthropology. She has built a profile at the intersection of the humanities and management, which she applies to the development and support of artistic and cultural projects in both France and Quebec.
On the occasion of this transition, Marc Gauthier, Executive Director of RIDM, stated:
“Five years after arriving in Montreal to take on the leadership of RIDM, the time has come for me to turn toward a new challenge, which will be announced shortly. These years have been deeply meaningful: they allowed me to build and work alongside a strong and committed team, and to contribute to RIDM’s growing visibility within the documentary community. I leave with great pride, knowing that my colleagues are already fully focused on preparing the 29th edition. I am also delighted to see the Board of Directors place its trust in Mégane Chatelet to assume the role of Interim Executive Director. Her strategic intelligence, deep understanding of the organization, and human-centered leadership will, I am convinced, allow her to guide RIDM and Forum RIDM with professionalism and care.”
The Board of Directors of RIDM also highlighted the achievements of the past five years:
“We wish to acknowledge the outstanding work accomplished by Marc Gauthier over the course of his five-year mandate. His deep commitment to RIDM and Forum RIDM, his openness to dialogue, and his structuring vision helped strengthen the organization and affirm its place within the documentary field, in a particularly demanding context. We warmly thank him for his dedication and wish him every success in the next chapter of his professional journey. The Board is also very pleased to welcome Mégane Chatelet as Interim Executive Director and extends its best wishes to her in this new role, confident that she will carry forward the organization’s leadership with rigour and discernment.”
Upon assuming her new role, Mégane Chatelet, Interim Executive Director of RIDM and Forum RIDM, stated:
“Taking on the role of Interim Executive Director today is both an honour and a responsibility that I approach with great humility. I enter this transition with enthusiasm, knowing I can rely on a talented and passionate team. Together, we will work toward a 29th edition that remains closely connected to the works, the artists, and those who support them, so that the festival may continue to grow and reach audiences here and internationally, with the same level of integrity and freedom. I sincerely thank the Board of Directors for its trust, as well as the team for its support.”
The Board of Directors and the RIDM team approach this new chapter with confidence, determined to continue developing the festival and its professional market in a spirit of openness, attentiveness, and dialogue.
About RIDM
Dedicated to showcasing the most stimulating and diverse visions of documentary cinema, the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) presents a bold program that brings together works by established filmmakers and emerging talents alike, while fostering meaningful encounters between artists and audiences.
About Forum RIDM
Forum RIDM aims to stimulate the production and distribution of independent documentaries, both nationally and internationally, by promoting the exchange of information and meetings between the various professionals in the documentary industry. Roundtables, conferences and workshops on major current issues will bring together over 400 filmmakers and representatives of various production, broadcasting and distribution companies over five days.
The Montreal International Documentary Festival’s 29th edition
will take place from November 19 to 29, 2026.
Information: ridm.ca / info@ridm.ca
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Forum RIDM’s 22nd edition will take place from November 20 to 25, 2026.
Information: ridm.ca/en/forum-ridm / info@ridm.ca
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Media contact: Caroline Rompré | pixelleX communications | 514-778-9294 | caroline@pixellex.ca