Docs on the Spot

Left to right: Marlene Edoyan, Nadine Gomez, Hubert Sabino-Brunette

The Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) is proud to present the festival’s new programming collective, comprising directors Marlene Edoyan and Nadine Gomez along with programmer Hubert Sabino-Brunette. The new team will select the documentaries for the 24^th edition of the RIDM, which will take place in hybrid format from November 10 to 21, 2021.

“Our goal as the new programming collective is to ensure that the next edition follows the lineage of those before it, while maintaining a diverse and wide-ranging vision. Drawing on the best of national and international documentary filmmaking, we look for work that makes a bold aesthetic, formal, and narrative statement. As a result, the RIDM’s faithful and passionate audience will be treated to a selection that reflects the rich and complex landscape of documentary cinema: fearless filmmaking that reminds us that the world is ours to reinvent.” – the RIDM programming collective

This new collective steps into the shoes of Bruno Dequen and the selection committee that he led. Artistic director of the RIDM since 2016 and a member of the programming team for ten years, Bruno Dequen made his mark by maintaining the highest standard of programming each year. Recognized for his bold choices, he selected, with the precious help of Apolline Caron-Ottavi, Charlotte Selb, Selin Murat, Valérie Bah et Maude Matton, the most innovative and avant-garde works of the documentary genre, which has contributed enormously to the festival’s reputation on a national and international level.

“Bruno Dequen has been a valuable resource for the festival, working continuously to take the RIDM programming to ever greater heights. His vision was appreciated more than ever last year when he arranged a unique and unprecedented online edition, which proved a resounding success. The RIDM team thanks him for his commitment, and we are confident that the new programming collective will enthusiastically take up the gauntlet of this vibrant festival.” – the RIDM board of directors

NEW PROGRAMMING COLLECTIVE

With a degree in media studies, Marlene Edoyan is a documentary filmmaker based in Montreal. Her keen interest in the concepts of human geography and of the relationships that bind societies and space inspired Marlene to launch Fauve Film in 2012. She has directed and produced several auteur documentaries, including Figure of Armen (2012) and The Sea Between Us (2019).

Nadine Gomez has dedicated herself to documentary cinema since 2009. She holds a master’s in communication from UQAM, and she has directed The Horse Palace (2012), Metro (2015), and Exarcheia, the Chanting of Birds (2018). Alongside her other projects, she is a member of the Board of the Conseil des arts de Montréal as chair of the Film/Video Evaluation Committee.

Hubert Sabino-Brunette received his PhD in cinematographic studies from the Université de Montréal, where he has also taught Québec cinema. He is passionate about documentaries and has been a member of several programming committees over the years. Since 2018 he has taught at the École des métiers du cinéma et de la vidéo at the Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup.

A fourth member will shortly be joining the RIDM programming collective, and together, the team will craft a compelling selection in line with the festival’s reputation.

From November 10 to 21, festival-goers will be able to attend screenings in Montreal venues, while still having the option to enjoy the edition remotely via the online platform—a format that proved highly popular in 2020.

The full program for the 24^th edition of the RIDM will be unveiled on Wednesday, October 20, 2021.

About RIDM

Quebec’s first film festival dedicated to documentaries, the Montreal International Documentary Festival presents the best reality‐based films, including the works of established directors and new talents.

The 24^th annual RIDM will take place from November, 2021.