Showcasing diverse voices, the Montreal International Film Festival returns for its 3rd
Montreal International Film Festival 2025
Founded with a mission to elevate global storytelling and spark social impact through film, the Montreal International Film Festival has become a cultural meeting point where art, activism, and industry intersect. The festival showcases diverse voices and supports the development of filmmakers who aim to create a positive global impact.
Now in its 3rd edition, the Montreal International Film Festival (MTLIFF) is quickly emerging as one of Canada’s most up-and-coming, inclusive, and socially driven film festivals, bringing together creators from around the world with audiences, industry leaders, and changemakers in the heart of Montreal.
MTLIFF was also recognized as one of Quebec’s Top 25 Emerging Companies in 2025 by C2 Montréal.
Festival Highlights
The 2025 edition of the Montreal International Film Festival offers an exciting and inclusive lineup of screenings, networking events, and interactive experiences designed for both film lovers and industry professionals.
This year’s program includes:
• 35 films selected from 25 countries, including world and Canadian premieres
• Daily panels with filmmakers and industry professionals
• Q&As and meet-and-greets with directors and cast following select screenings
• An immersive film market and interactive public experiences
• Lounges and networking spaces for industry and creative exchange
• Daily networking and celebration cocktails
Unique Public Activities
• Create a Stop-Motion Short: Visitors are invited to contribute to a collaborative stop-motion film featuring Popi, the official festival mascot, in partnership with Studio Brochafoin.
• Film Confessional Booth: In collaboration with Scene Digital, festival goers can record personal reviews or reflections on their favorite films.
• Acting Workshops: Hands-on sessions with professional coaches from iACT for aspiring performers.
Daily Celebration Cocktails: Evening events featuring live music and limited-edition festival drinks in collaboration with TAL Hydromellerie.
• Behind the Scenes in Film: Engage with interactive stations exploring makeup artistry, costuming, and other on-set elements of filmmaking.
2025 Official Selection and Laureates
A celebration of cinematic excellence, global storytelling, and social impact
The Montreal International Film Festival (MTLIFF) is thrilled to announce the official 2025 selection and award laureates, following an outstanding year of global submissions. The festival continues to honor stories that resonate deeply, challenge norms, and spotlight bold creative voices in today’s cinematic landscape.
Feature Films
Best Feature Film: Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day
Best Director: Believe – The Ultimate Battle
Best Screenplay: LARP THE MOVIE
Best Cinematography: LAMPIE
Best Cast: GROW
Short Films
Best Short Film: DON’T BE LATE, MYRA
Best Director: HAAGUA
Best Screenplay: SUNSET OVER AMERICA
Best Cinematography: CORAL REEF
Best Cast: I WRITE, YOU DRAW
Documentaries
Best Documentary: The Last Dive
Best Director: Everest Dark
Best Storytelling: Inukjuak ᐃᓄᒃᔪᐊᒃ
Best Cinematography: Lost Wolves of Yellowstone
Best Production: Mar Musa
Student Films
Best Student Film: WOODLAND
Best Student Director: Ewa’s Letter
Best Student Screenplay: Blood Ties
Best Student Performance: Halima
Best Production: Lost in Distance
Animation & TV Series
Best Animated Film: Today I Will Only Come Home Tomorrow
Best Director: Poncho And Lefty in Chrome Don’t Get Ya Home
Best Cinematography: Autistic Mode
Best TV Series: Baby
Honorable Mentions
Martina’s Search (Feature Film)
Lateral Thinking (Feature Film)
I Just Want to Be Wanted (Short)
Vito-Man (Student Film)
The Color of Pink Flamingos (Short)
Writer’s Block (Short)
ISLA NEGRA (Feature Film)
Summer Will Come (Feature Film)
Ladies (Feature Film)
The Lolol Hot Springs (Student Film)
Beyond Silence (Short)
International guests
The Montreal International Film Festival proudly presents a captivating selection of international films that showcase outstanding storytelling and celebrated talent from around the world.
Among the festival’s standout titles include GROW by John McPhail, featuring acclaimed actors Golda Rosheuvel (Bridgerton, Dune), Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead), and Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso). Set in the “Pumpkin Capital of the World,” the film follows grumpy farmer Dinah Little and her spirited niece Charlie as they enter a fierce giant pumpkin contest, navigating sabotage and quirky rivals while their relationship flourishes.
From Spain comes the intense psychological thriller Lateral Thinking, directed by Mariano Jesús Hueter and starring Itziar Ituño (Money Heist) and Alberto Ammann (Narcos). Julia, a psychologist and university professor, is kidnapped by those who believe she holds vital information. Using her clinical expertise, she analyzes her captors as if they were patients, unleashing a darker side as she fights to survive in this gripping exploration of power and resilience.
Believe – The Ultimate Battle, directed by Rahabi Mandra, is a sweeping historical drama set against the backdrop of Indonesia’s turbulent past. Agus, the son of a revered soldier, rises as a military commander amidst rising unrest, confronting his father’s legacy and the profound human cost of war.
Magical storytelling continues with Lampie, directed by Margien Rogaar. After a shipwreck separates her from her father, young Lampie embarks on a courageous quest to the mysterious Black House, rumored to be home to a monster, where she discovers secrets and unexpected friendships.
Sunset Over America, directed by Matías Rojas Valencia, follows 15-year-old Bárbara’s perilous journey fleeing the crisis in Venezuela. Traversing the Andes toward Chile, she battles harsh conditions and inner fears in this poignant story of migration, resilience, and hope.
Among the documentary highlights is The Last Dive by Cody Sheehy, capturing the extraordinary bond between 80-year-old diver Terry and Willy, a 22-foot Giant Pacific Manta Ray, in a moving tale of friendship and redemption. Everest Dark by Jereme Watt follows Sherpa guide Mingma Tsiri Sherpa on a dangerous mission to recover a fallen climber’s body, shedding light on Sherpa guides’ challenges in the face of increasing Everest tourism.
Indigenous voices shine in HAAGUA, directed by Marc Antony Chavez, an intimate surf film narrated by the spirit of Great Great Grandmother Ocean. The film celebrates Native American surfers reconnecting with ancestral traditions and the ocean’s enduring power.
Additional festival highlights include the gripping short Don’t Be Late, Myra by Afia Serena Nathaniel, about courage, survival, and the everyday threats faced by young girls in the streets of Lahore; Inukjuak a documentary by Hannah Walti, set in the Inuit village of Inukjuak, Inukjuak offers a poetic and personal look at Inuit life in the 2020s; and The Color of Pink Flamingos by Shannon Renaudeau, a tender tale of an unexpected connection between a weary mother and a carefree young man.
These international selections affirm the Montreal International Film Festival’s commitment to showcasing diverse, compelling cinema that resonates universally and elevates voices from around the world.
August 22–24, 2025
For the full festival schedule, and to purchase your tickets, visit: www.montrealinternationalfilmfestival.com