Truthfully Black: Celebrating Documentaries at MIBFF
19th MIBFF: OPENS WITH THE SPACE RACE + 75 FILMS FROM 20 COUNTRIES!
FILMS STARRING: Zendaya, Naomi Campbell, Tracee Ellis Ross, Babetida Sadjo, Zandile Madliwa, Sanda Shandu, Leland Melvin, Guion Bluford, Tyson Beckford, Bethann Hardison and more!
19 years of innovation, showcasing Black talent in front of and behind the camera and reflecting on the issues facing Afro-descendants
Full Program, opening night VIP passes, All Access Passes & Tickets: www.MontrealBlackFilm.com
The 19th Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF), created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation and presented by Desjardins from September 27 to October 1st, 2023
Montreal, September 8, 2023 – Canada’s largest black film festival, the Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF) presented by Desjardins, is back with an exciting 19th edition, from September 27 to October 1, 2023. Returning in person and online, the MIBFF will offer Montreal audiences innovative, powerful, diverse and bold programming to Montreal audiences! #MIBFF23 will present 75 films from 20 countries, including 5 International Premieres, 6 North American Premieres, 20 Canadian Premieres and 16 Quebec Premieres.
Opening night will take place at the Imperial Cinema at 7:15 pm on Wednesday, September 27 with the Canadian premiere of THE SPACE RACE by Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza (USA). Tickets are available for 25$ as well as a VIP package for 100$ on the festival’s website. THE SPACE RACE uncovers the little-known stories of the first Black pilots, engineers and scientists to become astronauts. Simultaneously championed and exploited as political pawns, some made it to space, while others were erased from history. For the first time, THE SPACE RACE puts their lived experiences back into the space exploration narrative and uncovers what it means for the next generation of Black astronauts.
#MIBFF23 will close with the Quebec Premiere of Mohamed Kordofani’s film GOODBYE JULIA (Sudan) a red-carpet presentation at Cinéma du Musée at 5pm. Tickets are available for 20$ on the festival’s website. The film Goodbye Julia begins in July 2005, in the midst of the aftermath of the Sudanese war. MONA, an upper-middle-class retired singer from the North, accidentally hits a Southern child with her car and drives away. When the child’s father chases her on his motorbike, she calls her husband for help. As soon as she returns home, her husband shoots the chaser dead, not knowing Mona hit his son. Burdened by guilt and depression, Mona covertly searches for the victim’s family to offer some compensation.
A red carpet screening of the film INVISIBLE BEAUTY, directed by Bethann Hardison and Frédéric Tcheng, is also planned for Friday, September 29, at the Cinéma du Musée at 9pm. Tickets are available for 12$ on the festival’s website. Fashion revolutionary Bethann Hardison looks back on her journey as a pioneering Black model, modeling agent, and activist, shining a light on an untold chapter in the fight for racial diversity.
“Each year, the Montreal International Black Film Festival celebrates creators who are willing to take a risk by making non-commercial choices, which allows them to tell stories and convey realities that would otherwise not have made it to you. This exciting 19th edition showcases films of all genres from around the globe while putting a special focus on documentary films! What a privilege to be able to continue to showcase exceptional work that did not always make it to the silver screen. By giving a voice to the marginalized and showing films that shatter taboos, our festival’s aim is to promote professional collaboration, foster systemic changes in the industry and the development of independent films – while celebrating diversity on screen. Enjoy your Festival!” – Fabienne Colas, President and Founder of the Montreal, Toronto & Halifax Black Film Festival
The program for this 19th edition covers important topics such as history, social issues, racism, politics, women’s issues, family, fashion, dance and LGBTQ issues. The festival’s rich film selection comes from 20 countries including France, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Chad, Congo, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Italy, Madagascar, Poland, Sudan and more.
The festival highlights include: The Space Race, Goodbye Julia, Invisible Beauty, Semret, 1960, Mon père Le diable (Our Father the Devil), An Italian Youth, L’argent, la liberté, une histoire du franc CFA, Dancing in A-Yard, A Story of Bones, White Nanny, Black Child, and more!
Festivalgoers can once again experience opening night like a VIP! The $100 ticket will give you access to the red carpet, the opening film screening, the VIP cocktail, the first choice of seating and one pair of complimentary tickets for the 8pm BBIC screening. Other tickets including ALL ACCESS PASSES online for $79, in person for $119; and individual tickets ranging from $12 to $25 are also available on the festival website. Documentary films are presented by the Canada Media Fund.
The spokesperson this year is Schelby Jean-Baptiste.
Schelby Jean-Baptiste is a Haïtian Canadian actress, TV host and writer. She is known for several roles on Television and on the big screen such as Trécee in ‘Unité 9’, Marie-Carmel in ‘L’Heure Bleue’ and Chloé in ‘L’échappée’, to name a few. She has also been nominated several times, including one at the Gala du Cinéma Québécois in the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ category for her performance in ‘Scratch’ by Sébastien Godron and two at the Dynastie Gala in the ‘Actress of the year’ category. Gemeaux Award winner, she dreams big and has faith that anything is possible for those who believe.
NEW THIS YEAR. The MIBFF Hub in partnership with L’Afromusée.
Sept 28 – 30 2 pm – 8 pm, Oct 1, 11 am – 2 pm
The MIBFF HUB will be the meeting place where festivalgoers can get information, meet up, and network during opening hours. It will also house the festival press room.
OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS
SPOTLIGHT ON OTHER BLACK ART FORMS – POP UP MARKET | September 30th, 11am – 6pm and October 1st | Afromusée | 10 am – 2 pm
The Pop-up Market aims to feature talented Black Artists and highlight their original, artistic, and cultural works. Other Black Art Forms can include painting, hairdressing, fashion, decoration, jewelry, accessories, and traditional adornments.
THE MIBFF BLACK MARKET | September 28 – October 1st |Afromusée & Facebook FREE
Presented by The Festwave Institute. Co-presented by Patrimoine Canadien, SODEC, Téléfilm Canada, Bell Fund, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada.
The MIBFF Black Market, an initiative of the Fabienne Colas Foundation – presented by Festwave Institute, is devoted entirely to Industry professionals. During this series, the workings of the film industry will be the subject of discussions and exchanges while aiming to confront ideas and facilitate the acquisition of knowledge.
Bilingual Panels In-Person
- Applying for funds and grants: Quebec edition
- The keepers of our past – preserving our Black History and Art
English Panel Online
- Fighting for our rights
French Panels Online
- L’intelligence artificielle va-t-elle nous remplacer?
FABIENNE COLAS FOUNDATION’S BEING BLACK IN CANADA
September 28 |Cinéma du Parc | 5:30 pm – 11 pm | Tickets on MontrealBlackFilm.com
Presented by NETFLIX, in collaboration with the National Bank, and supported by Telefilm Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts (as well as La SODEC and Montreal Arts Council for the Montreal cohorts)
35 Canadian short films from the 2022 cohort will be presented at #MIBFF22! The FCF’s Being Black in Canada Program (BBIC) is a professional training program that supported 27 Black Canadian Filmmakers from 18 to 30 years old last year from Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver in the creation of documentary short films. BBIC is a vital step on the road towards representation and racial equity, on – screen and behind the camera. This unique project ensures to continue inspiring emerging artists from culturally diverse backgrounds and will change the face of the Canadian Film Industry.
MIBFF IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS
Presented by Desjardins – FREE ADMISSION
This initiative allows the youth to have free access to films created by members of the Black communities. The screenings will be followed by a 60-minute discussion with filmmakers.
- Sept 28 – 7 pm: Côtes-des-Neiges Cultural Center: Le mythe de la femme noire by Ayana O’Shun, followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, moderated by Sabine Daniel
- Sept 30 – 7 pm: Maison culturelle et communautaire de Montréal-Nord: Maboungou: Hors-centre by Marlene Millar and Philip Szporer, followed by a discussion with Yvette Mbogo, PEFAPDA coordinator from the Nyata Nyata company, moderated by Shérane Figaro
- Oct. 1 – 11 am and 1 pm. In partnership with Maison d’Haïti: A selection of five episodes from the Sunny’s Quest program, featuring short videos made with Afro-descendant children, followed by a panel discussion.
- Oct. 1 – 3:30 pm. In partnership with Maison d’Haïti: Screening of 3 children’s films, each lasting 15 minutes : Akesi and the Secrets of the Forest, Akesi and the Loss of the Bateke Kingdom, Akesi and the Fight for Independence, by Curt Fortin / Saïd Abitar
JURY MEMBERS
Narrative Features: Christine Rodriguez, Coralie Ladouceur, Élie Michaud-Alexis
Documentary Features : Ebonie Finley, Aziz Zoromba, Anaëlle Béglet
Short and Mid-Length Films: Reda Lahmouid, Bogdan Anifrani-Fedach, Sarra El Abed
TICKETS & PASSES*
Opening Night VIP Ticket – $100
In-person All Access Pass – $119 | Online All Access Pass – $79
Regular Film Ticket – $12 | Opening Night – $25 | Closing Night – $20
*Fees: All prices are subject to service charges and taxes
VENUES
Cinéma Impérial : 1430, de Bleury Street, Montreal
Cinéma du Musée : 1379-A, Sherbrooke O. Street, Montreal
Cinéma du Parc : 3575, Park Avenue, Montreal
Maison d’Haïti : 3245 Émile-Journault avenue, Montreal
Montreal North Cultural Center: 12004 Rolland blvd, Montreal-North
Côtes-des-Neiges Cultural Center : 5290 de la Côte-des-Neiges road, Montreal
Afromusée: 533, Ontario E Street, Montreal
The 19th annual Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF), created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, will be presented by Desjardins from September 27 to October 1st, 2023
www.MontrealBlackFilm.com
Get Social – #MIBFF23 : Facebook| Twitter | Instagram
About the Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF)
Created in 2005 by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, the Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF) is currently the largest Canadian film festival entirely dedicated to black realities from all four corners of the world. It aims to offer the public the most spectacular productions in black cinema and debate the great cultural, social, and socio-economic issues facing society. The MIBFF’s goal is to promote the development of the independent film industry and showcase more films depicting black realities around the world. The festival seeks to prioritize local and international films that do not necessarily come under the spotlight, a new cinema that moves its audience and raises awareness – and a few eyebrows. In so doing, the MIBFF addresses issues and showcases art that makes you think and smile, provokes, bewilders, and shocks you – a new, fresh look at black cinema from all parts of the globe!
Press contact
Véronique Fecteau | veronique@festwave.com | 514-893-0772
