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  • Casting preparation - February 17, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
  • Casting preparation

    17

    Feb


    Casting preparation

    Workshop - Fiction - Winter 2026

    Date / Heure
    17 February 2026
    6 pm - 9 pm

    Lieu
    Main Film Atelier
    2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2


    With Tania Arana (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant)

    Member 60$ | Non-member 90$


    Casting is a crucial step in the making of a fiction film. What is the role of a casting director? This theoretical workshop will demystify the casting process, from reading the script to organizing auditions, establishing roles, and contacting agents. The course will be based on Tania Arana’s experiences as a casting director.

    The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.

    For more information, please send an email to: services@mainfilm.qc.ca


    Tania Arana

    She began her career in 2014 as a self-taught professional, after studying communications and training as an actress. With a multicultural background and based in Montreal, she has distinguished herself through her innovative approach to casting, particularly in internationally award-winning short and feature films, including major selections and distinctions at Category 1 festivals such as Sundance, TIFF, and Clermont-Ferrand.

    Particularly recognized for her expertise in non-agency casting, Tania excels at finding new talent, giving a voice to underrepresented profiles in projects with high artistic and human value.

    Tania attaches great importance to respecting and supporting actors, working closely with directors to promote fair and caring casting practices.


    Our fiction cycle continues all winter! See the full schedule here.

  • Distribution and exhibition strategies - March 10, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
  • Distribution and exhibition strategies

    10

    Mar


    Distribution and exhibition strategies

    Workshop - Fiction - Winter 2026

    Date / Heure
    10 March 2026
    6 pm - 9 pm

    Lieu
    Main Film Atelier
    2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2


    With Travelling Distribution

    Member 60$ | Non-member 90$


    From self-distribution to festivals, markets, distributors, and even the web, the instructor will review the various stages of marketing, essential promotional tools, key players, and potential distribution channels, so that you can implement an effective methodology.

    The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.

    For more information, please send an email to: services@mainfilm.qc.ca


    Travelling Distribution

    Since 2007, Travelling Distribution has been a pioneer in the distribution and marketing of short films, both in Quebec and internationally. Representing a catalog of over 200 titles, including Brotherhood (Oscar-nominated), No Crying At The Dinner Table, and Oasis, and garnering hundreds of selections and awards at festivals around the world each year, Travelling has made a name for itself in the industry as a key player. Travelling aims to be a melting pot for talent and new cinematic voices, an ally that allows filmmakers to focus on what they do best: making movies.

    Travelling Distribution welcomes local and international short films of all genres. Our editorial line focuses on artistic quality, freshness, and diversity in every sense of the word, with a particular fondness for narrative films. Seeking to maintain quality relationships with our collaborators, our approach to distribution is based on attention and authenticity.

    To date, Travelling is exclusively dedicated to the distribution of short films, convinced of the strong potential of this medium, as well as the importance of its promotion and dissemination.


    Our fiction cycle continues all winter! See the full schedule here.

  • Grant application to CALQ - March 9, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
  • Grant application to CALQ

    9

    Mar


    Grant application to CALQ

    Workshop - Fiction - Winter 2026

    Date / Heure
    9 March 2026
    6 pm - 9 pm

    Lieu
    Main Film Atelier
    2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2


    With Isabelle Grignon-Francke (L’Artifice, Mothers & Monsters, Notes sur la mémoire et l’oubli)

    Member 90$ | Non-member 120$


    This workshop is a must if you are planning to submit a grant application to CALQ for your fiction film. The essential elements to include in your application regarding your budget and the application form will be revealed as well as different strategies to optimize your application. Completed by a review of your application in the second part of the workshop, you will have all the information you need to submit a compliant application!

    The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.

    For more information, please send an email to: services@mainfilm.qc.ca


    Materials to be sent upon registration:

    • CV
    • Director’s statement (1 page)
    • Synopsis (1 page)
    • Project budget (if applicable)

    → Send to services@mainfilm.qc.ca


    Isabelle Grignon-Francke

    Isabelle Grignon-Francke is a director and producer (co-founder of Club Vidéo). She has produced a dozen award-winning short films, both fiction and documentary (Mothers and Monsters by Édith Jorish, Y’a pas d’heure pour les femmes by Sarra El Aded, Notes sur la mémoire et l’oubli by Amélie Hardy) as well as two television documentaries for Radio-Canada. She is currently working on financing her first feature films. As director of L’Artifice, her latest film is completing its festival run (RIDM, Regard, Hot Docs). She has just submitted a master’s thesis in research-creation on the representation of otherness and narrative hospitality. She has a particular interest in intimate writing, ethical questions, and hybrid approaches. Her projects have taken her to Cuba, Egypt, and Tunisia..


    Our fiction cycle continues all winter! See the full schedule here.

  • Screenwriting and fiction dialogue - March 14, 2026 - March 15, 2026 - 10 am - 5 pm
  • Screenwriting and fiction dialogue

    14

    Mar

    -

    15

    Mar


    Screenwriting and fiction dialogue

    Workshop - Fiction - Winter 2026

    Date / Heure
    14 March 2026 - 15 March 2026
    10 am - 5 pm

    Lieu
    Main Film Atelier
    2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2


    With Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers (Platanero, Bail Bail)

    Member 160$ | Non-member 225$


    Writing a screenplay for a fiction film is an essential step in the creative process.

    This 12-hour training course explores the basics of screenwriting, focusing on structure, point of view, and developing a personal narrative style. Special attention will be paid to character development and dialogue writing through group discussions and practical exercises. Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers will draw on examples from her own screenwriting practice to illustrate different issues and approaches to fiction writing.

    The second part of the workshop will be devoted to group practice: based on the projects and ideas you bring, the group will explore together the characters’ intentions and the dynamics of dialogue, with a view to reflection and shared learning.

    By the end of the workshop, you will have enriched your understanding of fiction writing and developed concrete tools to enrich your characters, dialogues, and narrative approach.

    The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.

    For more information, please send an email to: services@mainfilm.qc.ca

    Material to be sent before March 7, 2026 to services@mainfilm.qc.ca :

    • Short description of your project
    • Draft script (if available)

    Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers

    A film director trained at Concordia University, Sandrine also holds a master’s degree in acting from the University of the Arts London and professional training in feature film writing from L’INIS. During her studies, she had the opportunity to perform at Shakespeare’s Globe in London and the Vakhtangov Theater in Moscow. Sandrine also has a musical background (cello, piano, singing), which led her to compose the music for some of her films.

    After her studies, Sandrine wrote and directed more than 15 short films, which were presented at various festivals around the world. The distribution of her short film Juste moi et toi was spectacular, winning the Crystal Bear at the Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival as well as the Canadian Grand Prix at Festival Regard, the Best Short Film Award at IRIS, and a nomination for the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards. Two of her short films were considered for the Oscars.

    Her first feature film, Pas d’chicane dans ma cabane, was well received by critics, including a 4-star rating in Le Devoir, and won several awards at festivals.

    Early in her career, Sandrine had the opportunity to intern as a director with Denis Villeneuve (film Incendies) and Daniel Roby (film Louis Cyr). Now, in addition to her filmmaking projects, Sandrine continues to be involved in her community as a screenwriting/directing consultant, as a teacher at Concordia University (teaching acting, directing, and screenwriting), and has been involved in various organizations (including Wapikoni Mobile as a filmmaker-mentor in various Indigenous communities). She also continues her career as an actress.


    Our fiction cycle continues all winter! See the full schedule here.

  • Storytelling with the camera : Fiction cinematography - March 21, 2026 - March 22, 2026 - 10 am - 5 pm
  • Storytelling with the camera : Fiction cinematography

    21

    Mar

    -

    22

    Mar


    Storytelling with the camera : Fiction cinematography

    Workshop - Fiction - Winter 2026

    Date / Heure
    21 March 2026 - 22 March 2026
    10 am - 5 pm

    Lieu
    Main Film Atelier
    2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2


    With Ariel Methot (Furies, Ailleurs La Nuit)

    Member 210$ | Non-member 280$


    A must in our program!

    This theoretical and practical course will teach you how to effectively compose your images in order to direct the viewer’s gaze and produce the desired aesthetic effect. Framing, shot scale, camera movements – you’ll get a complete overview of cinematographic vocabulary. This will give you the keys to translating your intentions into images with greater dexterity.

    Please note that no time will be alloted on learning how to use a camera.

    The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.

    For more information, please send an email to: services@mainfilm.qc.ca


    Ariel Methot

    Born in Montreal, Québec, Ariel Méthot has a Fine Arts background in painting and sculpture from Concordia University. He transitioned to cinematography, driven by a self-taught interest for cinema. Through numerous collaborative projects, Ariel Méthot merges his love for creative partnerships with his expertise in visual storytelling.


    Our fiction cycle continues all winter! See the full schedule here.

  • The art of fiction montage - March 3, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
  • The art of fiction montage

    3

    Mar


    The art of fiction montage

    Workshop - Fiction - Winter 2026

    Date / Heure
    3 March 2026
    6 pm - 9 pm

    Lieu
    Main Film Atelier
    2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2


    With Xi Feng (Une Langue Universelle, Caiti Blues, La Garde Blanche, Cette Maison)

    Member 60$ | Non-member 90$


    Editing is a crucial step in film production. In this theoretical workshop, learn how to assemble images to enhance the reality of the cinematic narrative. Using concrete examples, you will discover the techniques and components that contribute to the narrative flow of your film.

    The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.

    For more information, please send an email to: services@mainfilm.qc.ca


    Xi Feng
    Xi FENG is a Canadian film editor born in China and living in Montreal. Having lived in China, France, and Canada, she has cultivated a keen artistic and cultural sensibility throughout her career. This has enabled her to collaborate with an international clientele and edit films in different languages. Xi FENG has worked as chief editor or co-editor on award-winning films such as Une Langue Universelle, Caiti Blues, Cette Maison and Clebs. Her filmography has been selected and awarded at several prestigious festivals such as the Berlinale, ACID Cannes, Quinzaines des cinéastes, Sundance, HotDocs, and many others.


    Our fiction cycle continues all winter! See the full schedule here.

  • The docu-fiction - February 23, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
  • The docu-fiction

    23

    Feb


    The docu-fiction

    Workshop - Fiction - Winter 2026

    Date / Heure
    23 February 2026
    6 pm - 9 pm

    Lieu
    Main Film Atelier
    2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2


    With Jonathan Beaulieu-Cyr (Phénix, Mad Dog Labine)

    Member 60$ | Non-member 90$


    There are no specific conventions governing the making of a docufiction film, so how do you navigate the process? What are the challenges involved in the scriptwriting, filming, and editing stages? This workshop will help you ask the right questions so you can embark on the adventure of making a hybrid film. The lessons will be based on concrete examples from Jonathan Beaulieu-Cyr’s films.

    The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.

    For more information, please send an e-mail to: services@mainfilm.qc.ca


    Jonathan Beaulieu-Cyr

    Jonathan Beaulieu-Cyr is, alternately and independently, a screenwriter, director, producer, and co-director of a film production company. His practice is nourished by his artistic friendships and collaborations. He is a two-time recipient of the Gilles-Carle Award from Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma: first with MAD DOG LABINE (Best Canadian Feature Film at FNC 2018) and then with PHÉNIX (released in 38 theaters in Quebec in the summer of 2025). He teaches filmmaking at Laval University and is working on several new film projects.


    Our fiction cycle continues all winter! See the full schedule here.