For the last 36 years, Montreal has played host to one of the most revered festivals in cinema. The Montreal World Film Festival is a premier event of its kind, showcasing the best in local and international works. The success and reputation of the festival has been upheld and bested yearly due to the brilliant mélange of its talented participants. With close to 80 countries partaking in the yearly competition, the festival certainly fosters the cultural distinctions of every continent.
As professionals and film lovers unite to avail themselves from a plethora of unique works, they can rejoice from the opportunity to disengage from the habitual blockbusters. The high-profile competition aims to temporarily obliterate the commercial aspect of contemporary films by reintroducing and promoting the creative nature of cinema. The festival’s rich program includes several sections; the World Competition, First Films Competition, Hors Concours (World Greats), Focus on World Cinema (Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania), Documentaries of the World, Tributes, Cinema Under the Stars, Our Cinema and Canadian Student Film Festival. The international official jury of the festival will award various prizes, as both well-known and first-time filmmakers converge.
The annual cinematic experience encourages the development of quality cinema by stimulating notions of creativity, as well as by welcoming new trends in film. It promotes cinematographic research by featuring close to 400 films; the offered diversity certainly underscores the prominence and splendor of every genre. The competition is ranked as one of the most prestigious festivals in the world – additionally, it characterizes Montreal’s remarkable cultural calendar. The screenings are all held within walking distance of the festival’s headquarters located at the Quartier des Spectacles. The festival will run from August 23rd to September 3rd, 2012. For more information on the event, make sure to visit their official website here.
Photo courtesy of Montreal Tourism