2023 Edition – Schedule

My Imaginary Country

, Patricio Guzmàn

October 2019, an unexpected revolution, a social explosion. Chile had recovered its memory. The event I had been waiting for since my student struggles in 1973 finally materialized.

, Democracy, Feminism, Human Rights, Politics, Social struggle, Sociology

Place Sun-Yat-Sen

Big Fight in Little Chinatown

, Karen Cho

Big Fight in Little Chinatown documents the collective fight to save Chinatowns across North America. Coast to Coast the film follows Chinatown communities resisting active erasure.

, Culture, Democracy, Economy, Racism, Social struggle, Urbanity

With rigor, and a dose of humor, Tax Me If You Can explains the mechanisms of tax havens and demonstrates how tax evasion, an essential cog in the neoliberal system, accelerates the growth of economic inequality.

, Democracy, Economy, Human Rights, Politics

Esplanade Louvain

Entre tes mains

, Aurore Émaille

Marie has been working with farmers' seeds, the guardians of cultivated biodiversity, for over a decade. She fights to preserve this intangible heritage. Behind her strength of action lies a very sensitive relationship with the world and with plants.

, Agriculture, Environnement, Feminism, Rurality

Les années Super 8

, Annie Ernaux, David Ernaux-Briot

The Super 8 films taken by writer Annie Ernaux between 1972 and 1981 are family archives, but also the testimony of a social class in the decade following 1968.

, Culture, Feminism, Sociology

Parc Jarry

All that Breathes

, Shaunak Sen

As environmental toxicity and civil unrest escalate, from their makeshift hospital in New Delhi, two brothers care for thousands of black kites, a majestic bird of prey essential to the city’s ecosystem.

, Environnement, Social mouvements, Urbanity

Notes on Displacement

, Khaled Jarrar

The news is full of disturbing images of overcrowded boats and vast tent camps. But how much do we really know about what refugees are going through? Notes on Displacement takes a deep dive on a gruelling journey.

, Colonialism, Human Rights, Migration, Sociology

Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age

, Guylaine Maroist, Léa Clermont-Dion

Backlash: Misogyny in the Digital Age is the shocking story of four women leaders whose lives are overturned by cyberviolence. They share a common cause: refusing to be silenced.

, Criminality, Feminism, Human Rights, Politics, Sexual violence, Sociology

Framing Agnes

, Chase Joynt

The film turns the talk show format inside out in response to media's ongoing fascination with trans people. The film breathes life into six previously unknown stories from the archives of the UCLA Gender Clinic in the 1950s.

, Human Rights, LGBTQI2SA+, Social struggle

Ressources

, Hubert Caron Guay, Serge-Olivier Rondeau

Ressources focus on the living conditions of humans, animals and plants linked together by the industrial chain of animal slaughter and meat processing. By following various actors captured by this chain, the film observes a state of precariousness shared beyond the boundaries of species.

, Agriculture, Economy, Human Rights, Migration, Racism, Sociology

Le Mythe de la femme noire

, Ayana O'Shun

Le Mythe de la Femme Noire is a feature-length documentary that investigates the image of black women in society. Experts say the Black community is the minority most affected by images created centuries ago.

, Feminism, Human Rights, Identity, Politics, Racism

Free Money

, Lauren DeFilippo, Sam Soko

This documentary offers a fascinating and critical case study of a universal basic income project established in the Kenyan village of Kogutu by GiveDirectly, an NGO convinced that it has found a foolproof algorithm to end global poverty.

, Economy, Human Rights, Sociology

Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On

, Madison Thomas

This film traces the life of cultural and musical icon Buffy Sainte-Marie, an artist and activist for First Nations rights with a trailblazing journey.

, Colonialism, Culture, First nations, Music, Racism

Square Dézéry

2012/Throught the Heart

, Arnaud Valade, Rodrigue Jean

Using footage from both amateur and professional sources, 2012/Throught the Heart immerses us into the intensity of the demonstrations and riots of the 2012 student strike.

, Democracy, Social struggle

Rebellion

, Elena Sánchez Bellot, Maia Kenworthy

Rebellion tell the behind-the-scenes story of Extinction Rebellion from its launch in 2018. With unprecedented access, the filmmakers follow a group of unlikely allies and capture the human drama of social movements first hand.

, Climate Crisis, Democracy, Environnement, Social struggle, Sociology

Tue
18
Jul

Invisible Demons

, Rahul Jain

An urgent look at the climate crisis, Rahul Jain’s eye-opening essay unfolds in a series of stunning, often birds-eye images of a very man-made disaster.

, Climate Crisis, Culture, Environnement, Urbanity

Cobalt rush : the future of going green

, Arnaud Zajtman, Quentin Noirfalisse

Electric cars hold the promise of a clean ecological transition. The global automotive market is concentrating its efforts on competitive production, the key to which is the exploitation of the blue gold, cobalt. This mineral is needed for batteries, and is mainly found in the Congo. But at what price?

, Economy, Environnement, Human Rights, Work

Acquittal

, Audrey Ginestet

It's been ten years since Manon was charged in "l'affaire Tarnac", accused of having participated in a terrorist enterprise for sabotaging TGV lines. As the trial approaches, the filmakker joins the group of women who are helping Manon prepare her defense.

, Criminality, Democracy, Environnement, Feminism, Social struggle

Parc Jarry

Paradise

, Alexander Abaturov

In the summer 2021, an exceptional heatwave and drought led to giant fires that ravaged 19 million hectares of land in northeastern Siberia.

, Climate Crisis, Culture, Environnement, Human Rights

Rejeito

, Pedro De Filippis

After the largest mining dam breaks in history, further dam collapses threaten millions in Brazil. A state advisor confronts the government's modus operandi, while dam refugees resist the mining companies' abuses in their threatened communities.

, Climate Crisis, Colonialism, Environnement, Human Rights

The Marvellous Wild World of the Vegetable Garden

, Guilaine Bergeret, Rémi Rappe

As we plunge into the heart of a vegetable garden free of pesticides and other chemicals, we discover thousands of tiny lives organizing themselves, as in a microsociety.

, Agriculture, Environnement

Mon
24
Jul

First program of the Cinéma sous les étoiles 2023 short documentary competition.

Short film competition – Programme #1

Parc Dante

Geographies of Solitude

, Jacquelyn Mills

Created using a scope of innovative eco-friendly filmmaking techniques, Geographies of Solitude is an immersion into the rich ecosystem of Sable Island and the life of a naturalist and environmentalist who has lived over 40 years on this remote sliver of land in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.

, Environnement, Feminism, Portrait, Sociology, Work

Second program of the Cinéma sous les étoiles 2023 short documentary competition.

Short film competition – Programme #2

Wed
26
Jul

Third program of the Cinéma sous les étoiles 2023 short documentary competition.

Short film competition – Programme #3

Thu
27
Jul

Fourth and last program of the Cinéma sous les étoiles 2023 short documentary competition.

Short film competition – Programme #4

The Hearing

, Émilie B. Guérette, Peggy Nkunga Ndona

After crossing 11 countries irregularly to seek asylum in Canada, Peggy, Simon and their three children are waiting for the hearing that will determine whether they get refugee status or not.

, Human Rights, Migration, Sociology

Wednesday, August 2, 2023 | Parc Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier | 7 :30 p.m. Awards ceremony: 8:15 p.m.Screening of winning films: 8:45pm For the past 9 years, Funambules Médias' Cinéma sous les étoiles has been organizing…

I lost my Mom

, Denys Desjardins

In the style of a film diary, I lost my Mom immerses us in the personal experience of the filmmaker and his sister as they try to ensure their mother can end her days with dignity in the CHSLD system.

, Human Rights, Sociology

Awards ceremony of the Short Film Competition

Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace

, Heather Hatch

Produced over five years by Haida filmmaker Heather Hatch, this documentary follows the struggle of members of the West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations against the construction of a mega-dam that will devastate the « rivière de la Paix ».

, Colonialism, Democracy, Environnement, First nations

Rojek

, Zaynê Akyol

Rojek meets incarcerated members of the Islamic State detained in prison camps, from all over the world and sharing a common ideal: to establish a caliphate.

, Criminality, Human Rights, Sociology

Seuls

, Paul Tom

Every year, over 400 children arrive alone at the Canadian border to claim refugee status. Fearing for their lives, Afshin, Alain and Patricia left their country, without their parents, when they were just children, in the hope of a better life in Canada.

, Human Rights, Migration, Racism

Parc Dante

Riposte feministe

, Marie Perennes, Simon Depardon

At night, armed with white sheets and black paint, they plaster the streets with messages of support for the victims of misogyny and slogans decrying femicide.

, Democracy, Feminism, Human Rights, Sexual violence, Social struggle

Framing Agnes

, Chase Joynt

, Human Rights, LGBTQI2SA+, Social struggle

Framing Agnes

, Chase Joynt

, Human Rights, LGBTQI2SA+, Social struggle

Coextinction

, Elena Jean, Gloria Pancrazi

From the northern edges of Vancouver Island to Oregon’s lower Snake Rivers, two passionate filmmakers connect with activists, Indigenous leaders, and renowned scientists to understand the fate of the orcas and find solutions to our most pressing environmental threats.

, Colonialism, Environnement, First nations

History Will Judge

, Germán Gutiérrez

At the announcement of the signing of peace agreements between the Colombian government and the guerrillas in 2016, director Germán Gutiérrez filmed in one of the last FARC camps.

, Democracy, Human Rights, Politics, Social struggle, Sociology

Square Dézéry

Notre-Dame-de‑l'Arsenic

, Christian Mathieu Fournier, Martin Frigon

Immerse yourself in the unprecedented social upheaval that took place in Rouyn-Noranda in 2022, following public health revelations of unusually high levels of arsenic in the air.

, Democracy, Environnement, Social struggle, Sociology

Returning to Reims

, Jean-Gabriel Périot

Through the autobiographical essay of sociologist and philosopher Didier Eribon, performed by Adèle Haenel, "Retour à Reims" (Fragments) tells an intimate and political story of the French working class from the early 1950s to the present day.

, Democracy, Economy, Politics, Social struggle, Sociology

Tue
15
Aug

(R)évolution – le travail est humain

, Productions 4 Éléments

Discover inspiring worker cooperative solutions to today's challenges in the documentary (R)evolution – work is human.

, Social, Work

Parc St-Mark

The Velvet Queen

, Marie Amiguet, Vincent Munier

High in the mountains of Tibet, photographer Vincent Munier and writer Sylvain Tesson wait patiently for the snow leopard to pass. Meantime, the two men weave a dialogue that is as facetious as it is philosophical about our place among living beings.

, Culture, Environnement, Sociology

Thu
17
Aug

Into The Ice

, Lars Ostenfeld

In the Greenland ice sheet we can see our future. Into the Ice travels with three pioneering glaciologist on their expeditions into the inland ice of Greenland, and top-notch science meets breathtaking visuals.

, Climate Crisis, Environnement, Technology, Work

Free Money

, Lauren DeFilippo, Sam Soko

, Economy, Human Rights, Sociology

The silence of the Mole

, Anaïs Taracena

Tout au long des années 1970, le journaliste Elías Barahona s’infiltre au cœur du gouvernement militaire le plus répressif du Guatemala. In seeking to uncover the story of this secret and unique individual, The Silence of the Mole opens cracks in the walls of silence.

, Democracy, Human Rights, Politics, Social struggle

Parc Dante

Riposte feministe

, Marie Perennes, Simon Depardon

At night, armed with white sheets and black paint, they plaster the streets with messages of support for the victims of misogyny and slogans decrying femicide.

, Democracy, Feminism, Human Rights, Sexual violence, Social struggle

Tuesday, August 22, 2023 Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier, Le Plateau Mont-Royal Start of Event : 16h00 For the 2nd year running, you're invited to an filmmaker’s apéro, presented in collaboration with Doc Québec and Pour la suite…

History Will Judge

, Germán Gutiérrez

At the announcement of the signing of peace agreements between the Colombian government and the guerrillas in 2016, director Germán Gutiérrez filmed in one of the last FARC camps.

, Democracy, Human Rights, Politics, Social struggle, Sociology

Pour la suite du doc : Filmmakers’ apero

I lost my Mom

, Denys Desjardins

, Human Rights, Sociology

Aquarela

, Viktor Kossakovsky

Like a cinematic journey through melting icebergs, deafening waterfalls and crystalline rains, Aquarela reveals the transformative beauty and raw power of water.

Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On

, Madison Thomas

This film traces the life of cultural and musical icon Buffy Sainte-Marie, an artist and activist for First Nations rights with a trailblazing journey.

, Colonialism, Culture, First nations, Music, Racism