Q. WHY A NEW FILM FESTIVAL IN MONTREAL?
A. The New Montreal FilmFest was created on the initiative of Telefilm Canada and the SODEC after they had charged SECOR Conseil of an in-depth analysis of the festival situation in Canada. It was recognized that Montreal, and indeed Quebec, needed to recover its prestige with a major competitive film festival. Details may be found at www.telefilm.gc.ca. Montreal is a major city of festivals. It holds practically year-round a host of street-and-theater festivals among which is one of the best Jazz festivals in the world, along with several more specialized film festivals. The New Montreal FilmFest will be an international and competitive event focused on quality cinema and those who create it. Its roots are in the Quebec-based and Canadian film industry and its outlook is worldwide.
Q. WHAT ARE TELEFILM CANADA AND SODEC?
A. Both are governmental organizations in charge of production and promotion of Canadian and Quebec-produced films and videos, and of support for Canadian and Quebec-based festivals, the first at the federal level, the second at the provincial level of Quebec.
Q. WHO ARE THE ORGANIZERS OF THE NEW MONTREAL FILMFEST?
A. The New Montreal Filmfest is organized by the Regroupement pour un Nouveau Festival Inc. which includes some of the major Canadian producers and distributors, plus filmmakers that joined in support of the festival www.montrealfilmfest.com. The Regroupement entrusted the already prestigious event managing group L’Equipe Spectra of Montreal www.equipespectra.ca with the practical organization of the festival and gained the services of Moritz de Hadeln as Program Director, well known for his previous achievements at the Locarno, Berlin and Venice Film Festivals.
Q. WHAT MAKES THE NEW MONTREAL FILMFEST DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FESTIVALS?
A. It will be a prestige event, but also a popular one. People say Montreal is the most European town in North America. Its unique atmosphere will deeply influence the character and atmosphere of the event and make it a bridge between Europe and America. Particular attention will be given to its organization and particularly to its guest services so that each one feels at home and welcome. The film selection aims at quality more than quantity and the program will include many special events such as tributes and historical retrospectives. Last but not least it aims at serving Canadian and Quebec cinema and its makers.
Q. WHEN IS THE FIRST NEW MONTREAL FILMFEST DUE?
A. In the dense calendar of festivals and local events, it was not easy to find a time slot to launch this new adventure. Finally it was decided to organize the first festival this year as a “work in progress”, from September 18th to 25th, 2005. From 2006 onward, the event will then take place in summer with a popular outdoor extravaganza. This year’s event being only 8 days long, of course, the program will be slightly shorter than the normal length for established events.
Q. WHAT IS MONTREAL LIKE, MID-SEPTEMBER?
A. It is one of the best times of the year. The leaves are gradually changing colors. Summer is still ingering. Days are warm and nights are cool and comfortable.
Q. WHAT FILMS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE IRIS COMPETITION?
A. The New Montreal FilmFest is above all a fiction feature length film festival, but both fiction and documentary features as well as short films produced during the 12 months before the festival, and which have not yet been shown in North America (USA and Canada), can participate. First and second features, whether selected for showing in competition or out-of-competition in the Festival’s “Planet Earth” and “Latin Universe” categories, are also eligible for the “Iris of Tomorrow” award.
Q. HOW DO I PARTICIPATE WITH A FILM?
A. Read the regulations and see if your film is eligible. If it is, download the application form from the festival’s website www.montrealfilmfest.com and fill it out. Send the following, prepaid, to the Festival: the completed preselection entry form, a DVD, a video cassette or a film print of your entry, a synopsis, a bio-filmography of the director(s), the complete list of credits, the complete list of the dialogues or subtitles if the film is not in French or English and the processing fee, if applicable.
Q. WHAT ARE THE DEADLINES?
A. For all films submitted to the selection board, the preselection entry form duly completed and signed, a 35 mm or 16 mm print or a VHS, BETACAM cassette, or a DVD of the film and all the above documentation must reach the festival’s organization by July 1st, 2005. For invited or selected films: the final entry form and all the material for the festival catalogue must be made available by August 8th. Also for invited and selected films: the media kits and the film print or DVD as foreseen by the rules for participation must be received by September 1st, the latest.
Q. WHO WILL BE MY PARTNERS?
A. Most information is available on the net at www.montrealfilmfest.com and is regularly updated in English, French and Spanish. If you need more information or have questions, please write to film@montrealfilmfest.com. For specific questions regarding the media, write to presse@montrealfilmfest.com. If necessary, you will be redirected to the person in charge of your specific question, who will then contact you personally.