Montreal, Thursday, October 31, 2024 – Forum RIDM is pleased to announce the full program for its 20th edition, presented by the Canada Media Fund (CMF), which will take place from November 22 to 27, 2024. This essential event for the documentary community remains true to its mission of supporting documentary filmmakers, providing them with the tools to develop their projects through workshops and discussions, as well as helping them finance and distribute their films via pitch sessions, networking activities and the participation of national and international guests.
Forum RIDM has been a vital gathering space for the past 20 years, enabling meaningful exchanges and networking for more than 400 professionals from the documentary industry, from some 20 countries, around a rich program that includes key events such as Doc Lab Montréal (November 22 to 24) and its pitch sessions (November 25 and 26), Rough Cut Pitch and One-on-One Pitches. Also returning this year are the expert roundtables (November 25 and 26) and discussions on current issues facing the documentary industry.
Presented by SODEC, the opening breakfast (November 25) will be an opportunity to launch this new edition and meet the local and international guests taking part in this year's event. At the end of each day, happy hours (November 25, 26 and 27) will be a great opportunity to celebrate and spark enriching exchanges in a casual setting.
DOC LAB MONTRÉAL | November 22-24 | National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
Doc Lab Montréal, presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada, welcomes a group of Canadian and international filmmakers and producers with short, medium, and feature film projects, to help them develop their creative documentaries, artistic practices, and production strategies. For three days, selected participants benefit from closed group work sessions, followed by a pitch session
before an audience of seasoned professionals from domestic and international markets. This year's cohorts hails from Canada, selected through a national call for projects and collaborations with Wapikoni, UQAM, Conseil des arts de Montréal and RACCORD, as well as Cuba, Louisiana (USA), Egypt, Brazil, Mexico, Ivory Coast, Wallonia-Brussels (Belgium) and Bavaria (Germany). The participation of international teams is made possible thanks to the financial support of the Gouvernement du Québec.
The 2024 cohort projects:
FEATURE FILM PROJECTS
After Me, Nothing… directed by Chloé Raunet and produced by Jessica Hallenbeck (Canada/Vancouver)
Bangkok Nox directed by Christian Wittmoser and produced by Moritz Bundschuh (Germany/Bavaria), selected in collaboration with DOK.forum München
Ejo directed by Victoire Karera Kampire and produced by Ellen Meiresonne (Belgium/Wallonia-Brussels), selected in collaboration with the Regards sur les docs program / Festival En ville !
In the Shades of a Royal Palace directed by Hend Bakr and produced by Tamer Nady (Egypt) selected in collaboration with Cimathèque
Midwife Woman directed by Valentina Ortega Backhoff and produced by Carlos Alberto Cuesy Díaz and Antonia Lema (Mexico), selected in collaboration with DocsMX
Our Hearts Are Dark and Secret Like the Knots of Our Oaks directed by Loïc Darses (Canada/Quebec)
Queen of the Pen directed by Juicebox Burton and produced by Ausinikka Hunter (United States/Louisiana), selected in collaboration with Create Louisiana
School of Violence directed by Fidèle Koffi Kouakou (Ivory Coast), selected in collaboration with Africadoc Côte d’Ivoire
Shape of Silence directed and produced by Varun Trikha with Magit Lillak's participation (Estonia) in production (Canada/Ontario)
Starry Night directed by Bruce Thomas Miller and produced by Kevin Dong (Canada/Alberta)
Tackling body directed by Isabelle Grignon-Francke (Canada/Quebec)
Tehran: Good/Bad or Worse directed by Farnaz Jurabchian and Mohammadreza Jurabchian, co-produced by Étienne de Ricaud (Canada/Quebec)
The Children of the Ones that Disappeared directed by Juliette Balthazard (Canada/Quebec)
The Missing Place directed by Mariana de Melo and produced by Luana Melgaço (Brazil), selected in collaboration with Brasil Cine Mundi
The Place and the Hope directed by Ariagna Fajardo Nuviola and produced by Julio Raúl Vega Garcés (Cuba), selected in collaboration with Nuevas Miradas EICTV
To These Lands I Returned directed by Yann-Manuel Hernandez (Canada/Quebec)
SHORT AND MEDIUM-LENGTH FILM PROJECTS
Ariane's thread directed by Luiza Cocora (Canada/Quebec), selected in collaboration with the Conseil des arts de Montréal’s Regard sur Montréal residency
Canoe racers directed by Maïlys Flamand (Canada/Quebec), selected in collaboration with Wapikoni
Haven directed by Mirkö Lafrenière and produced by Irène Bessone (Canada/Quebec)
He was John Banks directed by Manuel Orhy Piron (Canada/Quebec), selected in collaboration with UQAM
In the night trees grow directed by Stéphane Mukunzi (Canada/Quebec)
In the Pit directed by Alexandre Forgues (Canada/Ontario), selected in collaboration with Regroupement des artistes cinéastes de la francophonie canadienne (RACCORD)
Plumage directed by Migzhe Zhou and produced by Yiqian Zhang (Canada/Ontario)
Rosie by Kellie Nadeau (Canada/Quebec)
Sally's Courage directed by Nathalie Rankin and Roxanne Lauzon (Canada/Quebec), selected in collaboration with Wapikoni
Saying goodbye at 5pm directed by Alexia Roc (Canada/Quebec)
INDUSTRY MARKET | November 25-27
PITCH DOC LAB MONTRÉAL | November 25 and 26 | Cinémathèque québécoise
Doc Lab Montréal Pitch - Calling All Producers!
During the first Doc Lab Montréal Pitch session, accredited Forum RIDM producers will have the opportunity to meet with four Doc Lab Montréal filmmakers from Quebec, who are looking for collaborators for their projects. A window onto captivating projects from diverse horizons, reflecting the vitality of Quebec documentary film.
Doc Lab Montréal Pitch - Against the Grain
Presentation of six selected feature film projects. Daring works that challenge the conventions of documentary cinema and reexamine our perceptions of the world.
Doc Lab Montréal Pitch - Short & Sweet
Presentation of 10 Quebec and Canadian short and medium-length film projects selected for Doc Lab Montréal, a format that serves as a veritable playground for the industry's emerging new voices.
Doc Lab Montréal Pitch - Horizons
Unveiling of the six selected feature-length documentary projects. Captivating stories plunge us into the heart of unique journeys that place humanity at the core of their concerns.
As part of Doc Lab Montréal, prizes will be awarded to winning participants courtesy of Forum RIDM partners such as Directors Guild of Canada, Rogers, Eurodoc, CineGround, Main Film, Royal Photo, Vital Distribution, DOK.fest München, SLA Location, Lussier & Khouzam, T&S Coop, Parati Films and Vidéographe. In addition, Canadian participants based outside Quebec benefit from financial support for their trip to Montreal, made possible by the generosity of the Peter Wintonick Travel Grant partners (EyeSteelFilm, Intuitive Pictures, John Walker Productions, Kensington Communications, Picture This Productions, Fathom Film Group, Bunbury Films, Colonelle Films, Invisible Hand Productions and Cinema Politica).
ROUGH CUT PITCH | November 25 and 26 | Cinémathèque québécoise
Rough Cut Pitch offers a unique showcase for auteur documentary projects in editing or post-production. Participants will present their projects in a pitch session to renowned industry professionals. This year's projects hail from Canada, Senegal, Italy, Taiwan, Mexico and Brazil. Prizes will be awarded to winning participants courtesy of Grandé Studios and Forum RIDM.
Rough Cut Pitch - Horizons
A look at four projects in post-production, aimed at developing their international distribution and marketing strategies. This first session highlights works with a social impact, imbued with humanity, that explore themes at the heart of society.
The featured projects are Jamapa by Tania Ximena Ruiz Santos (Production: Paulina Villavicencio – Disruptiva Films, Mexico), Wind and View by Sheng-Hung Hsieh (Production: Ina Hon - Moolin Films, Taïwan), The Attachment by Mamadou Khouma Gueye (Production: Rosa Spaliviero - Twenty Nine Studio & Production, Senegal) and Father’s Day by Ayana O'Shun (Production: Bianca Bellange - Bel Ange Moon Productions, Canada/Quebec).
Rough Cut Pitch - Against the Grain
This second session will feature five daring projects that seek to push back the boundaries of documentary cinema. These feature films are currently in post-production, with the aim of developing their international distribution and marketing strategies.
The featured projects are Land of the Living Skies by Mackenzie Reid Rostad (Production: Kristina Pedersen - Kristina Picture, Canada/Quebec), I Lost my View of the Landscape by Sophie Bédard-Marcotte (Production: Pierre-Mathieu Fortin - National Film Board of Canada, Canada/Quebec), Skin of the Sky by Andrea Bussmann (Production: Andrea Bussmann, Canada/Ontario), Before the Name by Luana Melgaço (Production: Luiz Pretti - Anavilhana, Brazil) and On the Serbian Border by Federico Cammarata and Filippo Foscarini (Production: Stefano Centini - Volos Films, Italy).
NETWORKING ACTIVITIES
Expert roundtables | November 25 and 26 | Cinémathèque québécoise
In order to foster networking and professional development, Forum RIDM holds roundtables bringing together various experts from the documentary film industry. In these sessions, participants have the opportunity to meet with several experts of their choice, allowing them to ask targeted questions and deepen their understanding of their counterparts' areas of expertise.
ONE-ON-ONE PITCHES | November 27 | UQAM - Coeur des sciences, Salle Polyvalente (SH-4800), Pavillon Sherbrooke
Forum RIDM’s flagship activity, the One-on-One Pitches consists of 15-minute one-on-one meetings between producers and industry representatives such as public and private broadcasters, distributors, sales agents, festival programmers, institutional and fund representatives and co-producers. For this 20th edition, the presence of some sixty local and international industry representatives provides a unique opportunity to forge new partnerships and expand the reach of new projects.
A new feature this year; the Forum RIDM now invites participants to use the new b.square platform, designed to meet the needs of Forum RIDM attendants. This tool optimizes appointment scheduling by actively involving users in the choice of meetings.
The list of industry representatives that will take part in the One-on-One Pitches is available on the Forum RIDM website.
DISCUSSIONS AND CASE STUDIES
OPENING BREAKFAST: TOWARDS A MORE EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE INDUSTRY | November 25
To mark the opening of this 20th edition of Forum RIDM, participants are invited to explore possible paths toward a more equitable and inclusive industry. While progress has been made in recent years, much remains to be done to ensure genuine and sustainable diversity in the industry. Constant vigilance is required to ensure that progress translates into tangible results. Where do we stand, and how can industry practices further improve to accommodate a wider variety of voices and perspectives? Presented by SODEC.
Intercepted: An International Co-production | November 25
Intercepted, a co-production between Quebec, France and Ukraine, is one of the most remarkable documentaries of the year, having won awards at numerous festivals. The film's producers Giacomo Nudi and Rocío Barba Fuentes (Films Cosmos, Canada), and Pauline Tran Van Lieu (Hutong Productions, France) reveal the keys to their success and the driving forces behind this productive collaboration. Presented by the Consulat général de France à Québec.
Breaking into the International Market | November 25
Distributors share their strategies and expertise that can propel a film to a successful international career. With María Vera (Kino Rebelde), Wouter Jansen (Square Eyes), Anna Berthollet (Lightdox) and Renato Manganello (Utopia Docs).
Socially Engaged Cinema and Contemporary Forms | November 25
What do we mean by engaged cinema today, and how does this translate to the screen? Does the current under-funding of documentaries influence the way stories are told? Is the rise of digital platforms and social media forcing filmmakers to rethink their practices? Oksana Karpovych (Intercepted), Pablo Alvarez-Mesa (The Soldier’s Lagoon) and Simon Plouffe (Les yeux ne font pas le regard), three directors whose films are part of RIDM 2024 program, will share their innovative approaches to complex and controversial subjects. In this lively discussion, these committed filmmakers will share their thoughts on the evolution of a genre in perpetual transformation, both political and formal. Presented by DOC Québec.
How to Incorporate Independent Documentaries in Quebec Schools? | November 26
Since 2022, the Documentary Network has been looking for ways to integrate independent documentaries into primary and secondary school curricula, as these films are an essential cultural resource for achieving schools' educational objectives. In collaboration with educators and educational experts, the Documentary Network has developed tools adapted to the Ministry of Education's requirements, in order to highlight the cultural and pedagogical dimension of the films. The Observatoire will be presenting its tools and action plan at the forum. With Amélie Lambert Bouchard (Director of the Documentary Network), Jade Ménard (Educator), Denis McCready (President of the Documentary Network), Jacques Gautreau (National Film Board of Canada), Nathalie Larivière (Office national du film du Canada) and Mathieu Thuot-Dubé (Direction of Education and Cultural Action - National Library and Archives of Quebec). Presented by the Documentary Network (l’Observatoire du documentaire).
Reinventing Co-production Between Francophone Regions | November 26
In addition to diversifying sources of financing, international co-production opens up valuable opportunities for collaboration and cultural exchange. For French-speaking regions, language can be an asset, at least at first glance. While French facilitates the flow of work and access to certain markets, the specificities of each French-speaking region pose unique challenges. Presented by the Bell Fund, this round table will look at strategies for encouraging more equitable and inclusive international co-productions, while avoiding reproducing the power dynamics between the countries involved. With Souleymane Kebe (producer Sunuy Films, Senegal), Florent Coulon (producer Vrai Vrai Films, France), Rosa Spaliviero (producer Twenty Nine Studio, Belgium), Eric Idriss-Kanago (producer Yzanakio, Canada), and moderated by Ana Alice de Morais (co-artistic director, RIDM and Forum RIDM programmer).
Navigating Sensitive Topics | November 26
Presented by the Canadian Women's Foundation, this discussion, co-conceptualized with Quebec’s producers’ union, the UPPCQ, will invite professionals in the field to reflect, from the producer’s perspective, on the making of documentaries tackling sensitive themes such as gender issues, violent episodes or taboo topics related to mental health. It will highlight several aspects of production: support for creators, legal issues, awareness-raising among protagonists and crew on set, and possible public reactions. The discussion will be moderated by producer Elodie Pollet, and will bring together Keira Seidenberg (Canadian Women’s Foundation), Isabelle Phaneuf-Cyr (producer of LARRY (they/them)), Vuk Stojanovic (producer of Billy) and Lamia Chraibi (director of the short film Comme une Spirale).
Environmentally Responsible Documentary Production and Digital Sustainability | November 26
In this panel discussion, professionals in sustainable digital creation and audiovisual production will share their approaches to integrating sustainable practices into the sector. They will discuss the impact of technological choices on the environment, and present practical and innovative solutions for reducing the carbon footprint of productions. The panel will also highlight the importance of telling stories that raise awareness of environmental and social issues, through inspiring documentaries. Presented by Rolling Green.
Deploying the Narrative Dimension of Sound Design | November 27
Through a case study of the films Eastern Anthems, The Soldier's Lagoon and Intercepted, this discussion between Alex Lane (Sound designer of these three films) and Catherine Van Der Donckt (Sound designer and sound recordist) aims to push the inventive boundaries of sound design by exploring sound as a true narrative driver in documentary cinema.
Cinematography in Contemporary Documentary Film | November 27
Through a case study of the film Parmi les montagnes et les ruisseaux, this discussion with filmmaker Jean-François Lesage and director of photography Étienne Roussy explores the impact of cinematographers’ aesthetic choices on the construction of narrative in contemporary documentary, revealing the intimate connection between a work's visual form and its narrative scope. Presented by the Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec (ARRQ).
The awards ceremony for Doc Lab Montréal and Rough Cut Pitch, as well as the announcement of the recipients of the TaCIC - Tremplin Territoires and Peter-Wintonick grants, will take place on Wednesday, November 27, at the Cinémathèque québécoise’s Salle Norman-McLaren as part of the Forum RIDM Closing Cocktail. This will be a final opportunity to network with professionals from Quebec and international documentary communities.
PASSES
Passes for Forum RIDM activities can be purchased via the Forum’s website and will continue to be available until the end of the industry market.
PRICES
RIDM + Forum Pass: $ 270
RIDM + Forum + One-on-Ones Pitches Pass: $ 430
Student Forum Pass: $ 30
2024 EDITION FORUM PARTNERS
The 20th edition of Forum RIDM is made possible thanks to the support of our partners and collaborators. Forum RIDM particularly wishes to thank the Government of Quebec, the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications (MCC), the Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie, Emploi-Québec, Telefilm Canada, as well as its Presenting Partner, the Canada Media Fund (CMF). Forum RIDM also thanks its Main Partners for their support, including, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada, Rogers and the Bell Fund as well as Associate Partners Tamron, the Canadian Women's Foundation, the Directors Guild of Canada, the Consulat général de France à Québec, the Italian Cultural Institute of Montreal, Rolling Green, Grandé Studios, CineGround, RACCORD, DOC Québec, Eurodoc, Main Film, Royal Photo, SLA Location, the National Film Board of Canada (ONF/NFB), Vital Distribution, Parati Films, Lussier & Khouzam, T&S Coop, Vidéographe, Wapikoni and the Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec (ARRQ). Forum RIDM also acknowledges the invaluable support of its collaborating and catering partners, as well as the partners of the Bourses TaCIC - Tremplin Territoires (TaCIC, franC doc, Bande Sonimage, SPIRA and Paraloeil) and Peter-Wintonick Grant.
Forum RIDM also exists year-round, thanks to collaborations with festivals and cultural organizations around the world, that help in supporting Quebec professionals in their career development. Thanks to numerous bilateral agreements, professionals have been able to travel to Stlouis’Docs, Cannes
Docs and DOK.fest München. These activities are made possible thanks to the financial support of the Gouvernement du Québec and Telefilm Canada.
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. Discussions, 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.
About the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, develops, finances, and promotes the production of Canadian content and applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF guides Canadian content towards a competitive global environment by fostering industry innovation, rewarding success, enabling a diversity of voices, and promoting access to content through public and private sector partnerships. The CMF receives financial contributions from the Government of Canada and Canada’s cable, satellite, and IPTV distributors.
Forum RIDM’s 20th edition, presented by the Canada Media Fund,
will take place from November 22 to 27, 2024
at the Cinémathèque québécoise, National Film Board of Canada and UQAM - Coeur des sciences, Salle Polyvalente (SH-4800), Pavillon Sherbrooke
Informations: ridm.ca/en/forum-ridm / forum@ridm.ca
-30-
Media contact: Caroline Rompré | pixelleX communications | 514-778-9294 | caroline@pixellex.ca