- Alternative documentary creation - October 28, 2026 - October 29, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
28
Oct
-29
Oct
Alternative documentary creation
Workshop - Documentary Cinema - Fall 2026
Date / Heure
28 October 2026 - 29 October 2026
6 pm - 9 pm
Lieu
Main Film Atelier
2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2
with Benjamin R. Taylor
Membre 120$ | Non-membre 160$
Offering a unique testing ground, creative documentary filmmaking breaks with convention to embrace non-traditional documentary forms such as animation, collage, the integration of fictional sequences, and experimental documentary. Filmmaker Benjamin R. Taylor will address a variety of topics such as visual aesthetics, sound treatment, and the filmmaker’s relationship with their subjects from a perspective that invites us to broaden the range of possibilities for representing reality.
This will allow you to explore new ways of storytelling and develop originality in your work!
The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English
Benjamin R. Taylor
Benjamin R. Taylor is an independent artist with work exhibited in international festivals and cinemas. He is also an independent film curator, programmer and facilitator. He is the founder and facilitator of VISIONS, an independent curatorial series that foregrounds artists working in experimental and documentary cinema. He is a cofounder and caretaker of la lumière collective, a microcinema and artist studio in Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Our documentary cycle continues this fall! See the full schedule here.
- Creating a docu-series - December 10, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
10
Dec
Creating a docu-series
Workshop - Documentary Cinema - Fall 2026
Date / Heure
10 December 2026
6 pm - 9 pm
Lieu
Main Film Atelier
2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2
With Ariel St-Louis Lamoureux (Les Entremailles, Matrimoine, Lumières sur l’eau)
Membre 60$ | Non-membre 90$
The documentary series is an increasingly popular genre. At the crossroads of several narrative formats, the documentary series, docu-series or (web)series, carries a different rhythm from the standard documentary. In this workshop, you’ll learn the difference between linear writing and the various styles and structures of the documentary series. Using case studies, Ariel St-Louis Lamoureux will introduce you to the narrative possibilities of this format and its creative process.
The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English. For further information, please send an e-mail to : services@mainfilm.qc.ca
Ariel St-Louis Lamoureux
Ariel St-Louis Lamoureux holds a bachelor’s degree in scenography from Concordia University, and a master’s degree in cinema, research-creation profile, from Université de Montréal. Collaborative creative processes and polyphonic narratives characterize her artistic approach. She is co-director of the documentary Lumières sur l’eau (2016), the short film Les Entremailles (2022) and the audiovisual installation Survivance (2018. Prix Technès Special Mention). She is a recipient of the Bourse de l’Académie pour la relève 2019 and the Fonds Créateurs en Série 2020, with which she directed Matrimoine (2021. Nominated best documentary series at the Numix 2022 awards). Selected by the RIDM Talent Lab 2021 and the CALQ Mexican Artistic Residency 2024, she is currently writing the feature film Du blé pour Sainte-Barbe.
Our documentary cycle continues this fall! See the full schedule here.
- Distribution and exhibition strategies - December 7, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
7
Dec
Distribution and exhibition strategies
Workshop - Documentary Cinema - Fall 2026
Date / Heure
7 December 2026
6 pm - 9 pm
Lieu
Main Film Atelier
2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2
With Sylvain Lavigne and Clotilde Vatrinet (from Les Films du 3 Mars)
Membre 60$ | Non-membre 90$
This is an essential workshop to grasp and master the complexities of distribution! From self-distribution to festivals and distributors, the Films du 3 Mars team will reveal the secrets of film distribution. Among other things, they’ll cover the different stages of marketing, essential promotional tools and key players. Therefore, you’ll be better equipped to put in place an effective distribution strategy for your documentary films.
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
Sylvain Lavigne
The world premiere of his first short film, Maudit, took place at the Oslo International Film Festival. What followed was festivals, awards, champagne and showbiz! After graduating from Ryerson University in Toronto, he founded the production company Provocateur Films, produced music videos and worked as a director/coordinator on VOLT. Loads of nominations and awards later, Sylvain the filmmaker feeds himself by creating 14 short films while Sylvain the director earns his living on TV. Today, Sylvain is preparing his first feature film and distributes independent auteur and documentary films at Les Films du 3 Mars.
Clotilde Vartinet
In 2008, Clotilde Vatrinet obtained her Diploma d’Études Supérieures Spécialisées (DESS) in Cinema and she left her beautiful region of Lorraine (France) to work on film shoots as a script. Very quickly, her great aspirations took her to Montreal where she settled in 2009. She then joined the KINO movement and became a volunteer while continuing to work as a script and serve coffees. In 2010, she discovered distribution by joining the Films du 3 Mars team, an organization that works to defend Quebec/Canadian auteur cinema. In 2014, she joined the Board of Directors of Ciné Tapis Rouge, an NPO specialized in cinematic exchanges between Quebec and abroad. When she’s not working, she enjoys swing dancing, reading graphic novels and raising awareness for the animal cause.
Our documentary cycle continues this fall! See the full schedule here.
- Documentary screenwriting - November 11, 2026 - November 12, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
11
Nov
-12
Nov
Documentary screenwriting
Workshop - Documentary Cinema - Fall 2026
Date / Heure
11 November 2026 - 12 November 2026
6 pm - 9 pm
Lieu
Main Film Atelier
2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2
with Simon Plouffe (Des grues et des voix, Les yeux ne font pas le regard)
Membre 120$ | Non-membre 160$
This 6-hour training course will introduce you to documentary writing: the starting hypothesis, the choice of a shooting approach, the intuition of an atmosphere, the description of characters, and the elaboration of a visual and sound treatment. Following this workshop, you’ll be able to better structure your ideas, define your intentions and successfully convey them while developing your narrative style. The training is based on group discussion, screening of excerpts and project analysis.
The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English
Material to submit upon registration:
- Brief description of your project
Participants will be asked to give a brief presentation of their documentary project in the second block.
Please send documents by e-mail to : services@mainfilm.qc.ca
Simon Plouffe
Simon Plouffe is a filmmaker based in Montreal. He studied screenwriting at UQAM and film at Concordia University, and explores how soundscapes shape our perception of space and lived experience. His film *Ceux qui viendront, l’entendront* (2018) won the Jury Prize at the Ann Arbor Film Festival and the Best Sound Award at the Gala Québec Cinéma in 2019. *Forêts* (2022) received the Jury Prize at the Trento Film Festival, and *Les yeux ne font pas le regard* (2024) won the Best Social Documentary Award at the Bogotá Film Festival. His next film, *Des grues et des voix*, is scheduled for release in late 2026.
Our documentary cycle continues this fall! See the full schedule here.
- Interviewing techniques (ONLINE) - October 20, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
20
Oct
Interviewing techniques (ONLINE)
Workshop - Documentary Cinema - Fall 2026
Date / Heure
20 October 2026
6 pm - 9 pm
Lieu
Main Film Atelier
2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2
With Émilie B. Guérette (L’audience, L’autre Rio, Solta Essa Voz)
Member $60 | Non-member $90
ONLINE!
The interview is a crucial step in the making of your documentary film. How do you build the relationship between the director and the protagonists? How can you understand your protagonists in relation to their personalities and their stories? How can the interviews illustrate their uniqueness? What approaches should you choose according to your documentary style? These are some of the questions that will be addressed in this workshop in order to best conduct your interviews and make the most appropriate choices for your work.
The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.
For further information, please send an e-mail to : services@mainfilm.qc.ca
Émilie B. Guérette is a nomadic filmmaker whose roots are in Montreal and heart in Rio de Janeiro. She travels the world with her camera to shoot documentaries related to social justice, human rights and migrations. Her multidisciplinary background in anthropology, political science, poetry and music is reflected in her socially engaged, sensitive and sensory approach, taking the side of those left behind. She sees documentary as an art of the encounter which aims at building bridges between human beings.
Our documentary cycle continues this fall! See the full schedule here.
- Self-producing your documentary - November 7, 2026 - 10 am - 5 pm
7
Nov
Self-producing your documentary
Workshop - Documentary Cinema - Fall 2026
Date / Heure
7 November 2026
10 am - 5 pm
Lieu
Main Film Atelier
2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2
With Mathilde Capone (Éviction, Les oreilles de la mer)
Membre 120$ | Non-membre 160$
One of our most popular workshops!
How do you produce your own documentary with public funding? What are the advantages and disadvantages of such an approach? This workshop will look at the specific issues involved in self-producing a short or feature-length documentary for theatrical release. The workshop will cover all the different stages, from development to post-production, including public financing. Mathilde Capone will support the notions with their own self-productions.
The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.
For further information, please send an e-mail to: services@mainfilm.qc.ca .
Material to be sent before the workshop:
- Short description of your film background
- Short synopsis of your project (if applicable)
Please send the documents to services@mainfilm.qc.ca
Mathilde Capone
A documentary filmmaker and community educator, Mathilde Capone holds a master’s degree in social anthropology. As a feminist, anti-colonial, lesbian, and queer activist, they are involved in collective initiatives that provoke thought. Their independently produced feature-length film *La fabrique du consentement: regards lesbo-queer* was screened at Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma and Image+Nation. *Éviction*, their second feature film, which chronicles the eviction of a queer housing collective, premiered at the Montreal International Documentary Festival and won the Audience Award. *La maison des rebelles*, which follows the opening of the first lesbian retirement home in Montreal / Tiohtià:ke, is their next film.
Our documentary cycle continues this fall! See the full schedule here.
- Storytelling with the camera: Documentary cinematography - December 5, 2026 - December 6, 2026 - 10 am - 5 pm
5
Dec
-6
Dec
Storytelling with the camera: Documentary cinematography
Workshop - Documentary Cinema - Fall 2026
Date / Heure
5 December 2026 - 6 December 2026
10 am - 5 pm
Lieu
Main Film Atelier
2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2
With Marianne Ploska (Prière pour une mitaine perdue, Un amour d’été)
Membre 240$ | Non-membre 310$
A must in our program!
Learn how to effectively compose your images to contribute to the narrative of your documentary. Marianne Ploska will discuss the different aesthetic approaches and give you practical advice on cinematography for your first documentary. Afterwards, you’ll be able to put what you’ve learned into practice on the 2nd day of the workshop. Consequently, this workshop will give you the tools to translate your intentions into images with greater dexterity.
Please note that no time will be allocated to learning how to use a camera.
The workshop is given in French but questions may be asked in English.
For further information, please send an e-mail to : services@mainfilm.qc.ca
Marianne Ploska
Marianne Ploska is a filmmaker, director of photography, and camera assistant originally from France, now based in Montreal.
With a background in experimental film collectives and collaborations with cinematographers from a variety of backgrounds, she has gained solid experience with both analog and digital cameras, exploring their uses in a wide range of filming contexts.
She was the director of photography for Jean François Lesage’s Un amour d’été and Prière pour une mitaine perdue (Canadian Screen Award for Best Cinematography in 2022), and for Les 12 travaux d’Imelda alongside Benoit Beaulieu and Richard Duquette.
Our documentary cycle continues this fall! See the full schedule here.
- The art of documentary editing - November 2, 2026 - 6 pm - 9 pm
2
Nov
The art of documentary editing
Workshop - Documentary Cinema - Fall 2026
Date / Heure
2 November 2026
6 pm - 9 pm
Lieu
Main Film Atelier
2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2
With Xi Feng (Universal Language, Caiti Blues, The White Guard, This House)
Membre 60$ | Non-membre 90$
Editing is a crucial stage in documentary production. With the theoretical workshop The art of documentary editing, learn how to assemble images to sublimate the reality of cinematic storytelling. With the help of concrete examples, you’ll discover the techniques and components that contribute to the narrative fluidity of your film. Visual extracts from Xi Feng‘s impressive filmography will illustrate the course.
The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English. For further information, please send an e-mail to : services@mainfilm.qc.ca .
Xi Feng
Xi FENG is a film editor based in Montreal. Having lived in China, Canada, and France, she has cultivated a unique blend of cultural and artistic sensitivity. Feng has worked as an editor on award winning films including “Clebs”, “This House”, “Caiti Blues” and most recently “Universal Language” which won the inaugural Audience Award at the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes. Her filmography includes films premiered at prestigious festivals such as Berlinale, Cannes, Sundance, TIFF, Vision du Réel, HotDocs, etc.
Our documentary cycle continues this fall! See the full schedule here.
