3 Film Festivals to Enjoy This November
November is the perfect month to discover the best cinema from here and around the world. Three festivals are taking center stage in the Quartier des Spectacles: CINEMANIA, the Montreal International Documentary Festival and image+nation. Whether fiction, documentary, or queer cinema, get ready to experience the seventh art in all its forms.
“On sera heureux” by Léa Pool, presented in its Quebec premiere on November 4
CINEMANIA
The best of French-language cinema
November 4 to 16, 2025
What is it?
Enjoy the 31st edition of CINEMANIA, presenting the best new French-language films from across the globe. This year, the festival is showing more than 175 works, including features, shorts, medium-length films, documentaries and even virtual reality works, as well as hosting galas where you can rub elbows with the festival’s 150-plus special guests from around the world.
Why attend?
CINEMANIA has a strong tradition of working closely with artists: for 12 days, festivalgoers attend screenings with commentary, red carpet events and lively gatherings—you’re sure to rediscover your passion for the emotionally rich shared experience of watching movies on the big screen.
This year’s opening film, screening at the Monument national, is On sera heureux by Léa Pool, starring Mehdi Meskar, Alexandre Landry and Céline Bonnier, while the closing film, on November 15 in the same venue, is Les enfants vont bien by Nathan Ambrosioni, starring Camille Cottin, Juliette Armanet and Monia Chokri. The festival’s many special guests include Juliette Binoche, Brigitte Poupart and Charlotte Le Bon. Check out some premieres, join lively discussions, and help keep cinema vital.
Plus: don’t miss Les cinémas de Montréal au fil du temps, an exhibition about the city’s movie palaces through the ages presented in collaboration with the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership.
Montreal International Documentary Festival
One of North America’s biggest documentary events
November 20 to 30, 2025
What is it?
The Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) presents each year around a hundred Canadian and international documentaries as well as hosting Forum RIDM, the only professional market of its kind in Quebec. The 28th edition will showcase over 120 films, retrospectives, panel discussions and complementary activities.
Why attend?
The RIDM is right for you if you enjoy works on the hot topics of the day, presented in adventurous ways that renew the language of documentary. Opening the event on November 20 at the Monument national is Letters from Wolf Street by Arjun Talwar, a touching and nuanced portrait of a Warsaw neighbourhood. To close the festival on November 29, at the Cineplex Odeon Quartier Latin, the programming team has chosen Les blues du bleuet by Andrés Livov, an ensemble film shot in the heart of the Lac-Saint-Jean region. The festival also offers plenty of opportunities for audiences and artists to meet, with master classes, round tables and thematic discussions.
image+nation
A window on LGBTQ+ culture and cinema
November 20 to 30, 2025
What is it?
For four decades, image+nation has celebrated queer culture and cinema by sharing stories of LGBTQ+ lives. Check in on the current and future generations of queer creators at this 38th edition of the festival.
Why attend?
A pioneer in the world of LGBTQ+ cinema, image+nation is Canada’s oldest festival of its kind. Discover over 125 award-winning local and international films that showcase the authenticity and diversity of LGBTQ+ voices and testify to an ever-evolving queer cinematic practice. The uniqueness and universality of the stories told by these films gives you a sense of what it means to be LGBTQ+ in the 21st century, while giving the artists a voice and visibility through platforms aimed at sharing queer stories and lives.
On November 21, settle in at the Espace ONF for Student Night, where short films made by cégep and university students will be presented, followed by a discussion and a networking session open to the public. Encourage everyone’s identification and empathy through impactful, entertaining, and empowering cinema.