Montreal, Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - Forum RIDM is proud to announce that Ba’s Book, a Canadian documentary project directed by Ashley Duong and produced by Ina Fichman, won the Documentary Magazine Award at Cannes Docs, one of the Marché du Film’s key programs at the Cannes Film Festival. The project was featured in the Docs-In-Progress – Canadian Showcase, one of eight international showcases presented from May 15 to 18 during Cannes Docs.
Synopsis
When a filmmaker receives her father’s memoir about the Vietnam War and the Iranian Revolution, she answers with a film. Returning to her ancestral village, she collaborates with her father and relatives to film participatory re-creations of their past. A true hybrid of live-action and documentary, Ba’s Book offers a disarming look at how a family moves forward from divisions caused by displacement and war.
“Pitching alongside such inspiring international filmmakers was truly humbling. And winning an award provides wonderful momentum for Ba’s Book as we work on the final stages of bringing this family story about the generations-long impact of war into the world.” - Ashley Duong, filmmaker
“It was such an honour for us to be part of the Canadian delegation to Cannes Docs, such an amazing opportunity to share our work with the international documentary community. Ashley and I were so thrilled to win the Documentary Magazine Award. Thank you to RIDM, Telefilm Canada, and the wonderful Cannes Docs team.” - Ina Fichman, producer
The project will enjoy exceptional visibility thanks to a full-page announcement in the Documentary Magazine Summer 2026 issue and a dedicated interview or profile in a later print issue of the magazine, which is available worldwide and which reaches nearly 540K readers annually.
The jury was composed of Themba Bhebhe (Freelance Consultant, Strategic Advisor & Industry Programmer, Indigenous Cinema Alliance, Third Horizon), Fujioka Asako (Vice-chair, Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival) and Paulina Portela (Founder & Director, Compañia de Cine).
This is the seventh edition in which Forum RIDM sends participants to Docs-In-Progress, enabling the producers and filmmakers of four Canadian documentaries to travel to Cannes to present their projects currently being finalized to an audience of international buyers, distributors, festival programmers, and sales agents.
The Docs-In-Progress – Canadian Showcase at Cannes Docs is made possible by and organized in partnership between Forum RIDM and Telefilm Canada.
The projects presented at Docs-In-Progress – Canadian Showcase 2026 were as follows:
Ba’s Book
Directed by Ashley Duong
Produced by Ina Fichman (Intuitive Pictures)
Parrandas
Directed by Constance Chaput-Raby
Produced by Isabelle Grignon-Francke (Club Vidéo)
Sisters of the Union
Directed by Dan Popa
Produced by Line Sander Egede (TAK Films)
Steve’s Version
Directed by Sofia Bohdanowicz
Produced by Sofia Bohdanowicz (Maison du Bonheur Films)
Represented by Ana Alice de Morais, Director of the Forum RIDM, and Mégane Châtelet, Executive Director, RIDM are also proud to have renewed their partnership with Cannes Docs for the latest edition of this major international documentary market.
Alongside other major festivals — CPH:DOX, DMZ Docs, Docudays UA, Cinéma du Réel, DOK Leipzig, DokuFest, It’s All True, Festival dei Popoli, IDFA, Ji.hlava IDFF, Movies that Matter, Visions du Réel, Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, and Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival — RIDM took part in an initiative highlighting the essential role of documentary festivals in the international film ecosystem.
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 500 filmmakers and representatives of various production, broadcasting and distribution companies over five days.
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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Caroline Rompré | pixelleX communications | 514-778-9294 | caroline@pixellex.ca