2025 Festival du nouveau cinéma

2025 Festival du nouveau cinéma
Official poster
Opening filmSpace Cadet by Eric San
Closing filmThe Train (Le Train) by Marie Brassard
LocationMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Founded1971
Festival dateOctober 8-19, 2025
Websitenouveaucinema.ca/en

The 2025 edition of the Festival du nouveau cinéma, the 54th edition in the event's history, took place from October 8 to 19, 2025, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.[1]

Juries

  • National Competition, Feature Films: Núria Palenzuela Camon, Jing Xu, Ewa Szabłowska.
  • International Competition, Feature Films: Guillaume Vasseur, Maxim Gaudette, Naomie Décarie-Daigneault.
  • National Competition, Short Films: Adam Piron, Vincent Förster, Louise Martin Papasian.
  • International Competition, Short Films: Alison McAlpine, Joël Vaudreuil, Vlad Alexis.
  • New Alchemists: OK Pedersen, Vincent Toi.
  • New Alchemists, Short Films: Louis-Jean Decazes, Pascal Grenier, Alain P. Jacques.
  • Fierté Montréal Prize: Florence Blain Mbaye, Jérémie Battaglia, Chris Ngabonziza.
  • RPCÉ: Justine Martin, Paul Landriau, Alex Moussa Sawadogo.
  • FIPRESCI: David Voigt, Luciana Rodriguez Diaz, Călin Boto.

Awards

The following awards were presented:[2][3]

Award Film Recipient(s)
International Competition, Louve d'Or for Best Feature Film I Only Rest in the Storm Pedro Pinho
International Competition, Best Performance Award A Poet Ubeimar Rios
International Competition, Daniel Langlois Innovation Award Affection Affection Maxime Matray, Alexia Walther
National Competition, Grand Prix for Best Feature Film Blue Heron Sophy Romvari
National Competition, Special Mention for Best Feature Film My Son Came Back to Disappear Yan Giroux
New Alchemists, Best Feature Film Mare's Nest Ben Rivers
New Alchemists, Special Mention for Best Feature Film Zodiac Killer Project Charlie Shackleton
Fierté Montréal Award A Useful Ghost Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
FIPRESCI Award for Best First Feature Film The Devil Smokes (and saves the burnt matches in the same box) Ernesto Martínez Bucio
Temps Ø Audience Award Mag Mag Yuriyan Retriever
International Panorama, Audience Award Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk Sepideh Farsi
International Competition, Loup Argenté for Best Short Film Extracurricular Activity Dean Wei, Xu Yidan
National Competition, Grand Prize for Best Short Film Picnic Jérémy Gagnon
National Competition, Special Mention for Best Short Film Ripe Solara Thanh Bình Đặng
National Competition, People's Choice Award for Best Short Film Land of Cold Hervé Demers
New Alchemists, Dada International Prize for Best Short Film Daria's Night Flowers Maryam Tafakory
New Alchemists, Dada National Prize for Best Short Film Felt Blake Williams
New Alchemists, Best Animated Short Film Their Eyes Nicolas Gourault
RPCÉ, Grand Prize for Best Short Film Sydney Grant Earl MacIntosh
RPCÉ, Jeune Loup Prize for Best Short Film In My Child's Mind Marie-Sophie Gagné, Charles Bergeron
RPCÉ, Vidéographe Coup de Coeur Prize Lullaby for a Deathdream Charlie Galea McClure
P'tits Loups, People's Choice Award for Best Short Film Cardboard J.P. Vine

Official selections

The first programming announcements were issued on August 7. The festival opened with Kid Koala's animated film Space Cadet, and closed with Marie Brassard's film The Train (Le Train).[4]

The short film competition programs were announced on September 16,[5] and the full program lineup was announced on September 23.[6]

The festival also staged a special memorial tribute to filmmaker David Lynch following his death in January 2025, screening the entire first season of his television series Twin Peaks in a special Lynch-themed event at the Université du Québec à Montréal.[1]

International Competition

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Affection Affection Maxime Matray, Alexia Walther France
Bedrock Kinga Michalska Canada
The Devil Smokes (and saves the burnt matches in the same box) El diablo fuma (y guarda las cabezas de los cerillos quemados en la misma caja) Ernesto Martínez Bucio Mexico
Her Will Be Done Que ma volonté soit faite Julia Kowalski France, Poland
I Only Rest in the Storm O Riso e a Faca Pedro Pinho Portugal, Brazil, France, Romania
Left-Handed Girl 左撇子女孩 Shih-Ching Tsou Taiwan, France, United States, United Kingdom
A Poet Un poeta Simón Mesa Soto Colombia
Rijeka or Death! Fiume o morte! Igor Bezinović Croatia, Italy, Slovenia
Two Times João Liberada Duas vezes João Liberada Paula Tomás Marques Portugal
A Useful Ghost ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke Thailand, France, Singapore, Germany

National Competition

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
100 Sunset Kunsang Kyirong Canada
Barbaracadabra Renaud Lessard, Barbara Ulrich
Blue Heron Sophy Romvari
Dead Lover Grace Glowicki
Elsewhere at Night Ailleurs la nuit Marianne Métivier
My Son Came Back to Disappear Mon fils ne revint que sept jours Yan Giroux
Shifting Baselines Julien Élie
Vanishing Points Puntos de fuga Lina Rodriguez

International Panorama

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
L'aventura Sophie Letourneur France
A Balcony in Limoges Un balcon à Limoges Jérôme Reybaud France
The Blue Trail O Último Azul Gabriel Mascaro Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Netherlands
The Last One for the Road Le città di pianura Francesco Sossai Italy, Germany
Little Trouble Girls Kaj ti je deklica Urška Djukić Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Serbia
The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo La misteriosa mirada del flamenco Diego Céspedes Chile, France
Once Upon a Time in Gaza Tarzan and Arab Nasser Palestine, France, Portugal
Pillion Harry Lighton United Kingdom
Promised Sky Promis le ciel Erige Sehiri Tunisia, France, Netherlands, Qatar
Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk Sepideh Farsi France, Palestine, Iran
Tell Her That I Love Her Dites-lui que je l'aime Romane Bohringer France
The Things You Kill Alireza Khatami Canada, France, Poland, Turkey
The Visitor Svečias Vytautas Katkus Lithuania, Norway, Sweden

The New Alchemists (Les Nouveaux alchimistes)

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Ariel Lois Patiño Spain, Portugal
Dandelion's Odyssey Planètes Momoko Seto France, Belgium
Desire Lines Linije ẑelje Dane Komljen Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Netherlands, Croatia, Germany
Hair, Paper, Water... Tóc, giấy và nước... Nicolas Graux, Trương Minh Quý Belgium, France, Vietnam
Levers Rhayne Vermette Canada
Mare's Nest Ben Rivers United Kingdom, Canada, France
Punku Juan Daniel Fernández Molero Peru, Spain
The Tree of Authenticity L'arbre de l'authenticité Sammy Baloji Belgium, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France
Who Witnessed the Temples Fall Quién vio los templos caer Lucia Selva Spain
Zodiac Killer Project Charlie Shackleton United Kingdom, United States

The Essentials (Les Incontournables)

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Blue Moon Richard Linklater United States, Ireland
The Disappearance of Josef Mengele Das Verschwinden des Josef Mengele Kirill Serebrennikov France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
Dracula Radu Jude Romania, Austria, Luxembourg, Brazil
Father Mother Sister Brother Jim Jarmusch United States, Ireland, France
Frankenstein Guillermo del Toro United States
La grazia Paolo Sorrentino Italy
The Ice Tower La tour de glace Lucile Hadžihalilović France, Germany, Italy
Jay Kelly Noah Baumbach United Kingdom, United States
Kontinental '25 Radu Jude Romania, Brazil, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Luxembourg
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain Amélie et la métaphysique des tubes Maïlys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han France
Little Boy James Benning United States
The Love That Remains Ástin Sem Eftir Er Hlynur Pálmason Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, France
Magellan Magalhães Lav Diaz Portugal, Spain, Philippines, Taiwan
The Mastermind Kelly Reichardt United States
Miroirs No. 3 Christian Petzold Germany
Nouvelle Vague Richard Linklater France
Paleontology Lesson Sergei Loznitsa Netherlands
Romería Carla Simón Spain, Belgium, Germany
Sentimental Value Affeksjonsverdi Joachim Trier Norway, France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom
Sound of Falling In Die Sonne Schauen Mascha Schilinski Germany
To the Victory! Valentyn Vasyanovych Ukraine, Lithuania
Two Prosecutors Два прокурора Sergei Loznitsa France, Germany, Netherlands, Latvia, Romania, Lithuania
What Does That Nature Say to You Geu jayeoni nege mworago hani Hong Sang-soo South Korea
Wrong Husband Uiksaringitara Zacharias Kunuk Canada

Temps 0

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Chiliheads Chiliheads, fous de piment fort Julien Fréchette Canada
The Curse Kenichi Ugana Japan
Dammen Grégoire Graesslin France
Dead Man's Boots Prosper Yohann Gloaguen France
Decorado Alberto Vázquez Spain
The Dimensionaires: Prelude to Abraxas Pat Tremblay Canada
Écothérapie: Journal d'un cataclysme Cédric Chabuel Canada
Finding Planet Porno: The Wild Journey of American Cinema's First Outlaw Christian Genzel Austria
Full Metal Kebab Martin Jauvat France
Incomplete Chairs Kenichi Ugana Japan
The Incredible Snow Woman L’ Incroyable femme des neiges Sébastien Betbeder France
It Follows David Robert Mitchell United States
Lunatic: The Luna Vachon Story Kate Kroll Canada
Mag Mag 禍禍女 Yuriyan Retriever Japan
Overnight Bag Baise-en-ville Martin Jauvat France
The Piano Accident L'Accident de piano Quentin Dupieux France
Stronger Than the Devil Plus forts que le diable Graham Guit Belgium, France
Summer Hit Machine Jérôme Vandewattyne Belgium
The Theatre of Horrors David Gregory United States
V.Maria Daisuke Miyazaki Japan

Special Presentations

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Flow Straume Gints Zilbalodis Latvia, France, Belgium
Ghosts of the Sea Les enfants du large Virginia Tangvald Canada, France
Montreal, My Beautiful Montréal, ma belle Xiaodan He Canada
Ô rage électrique! Carl Brubacher Canada
Tampopo Juzo Itami Japan
Twin Peaks, Season 1 David Lynch United States
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Wake Up Dead Man Rian Johnson United States
Who Killed the Montreal Expos? Qui a tué les Expos de Montréal ? Jean-François Poisson Canada
You Are Not Alone Vous n'êtes pas seuls Marie-Hélène Viens, Philippe Lupien Canada

History of Cinema (Histoire(s) du cinéma)

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
The Cat in the Bag Le chat dans le sac Gilles Groulx Canada
Don't Let It Kill You Il ne faut pas mourir pour ça Jean Pierre Lefebvre Canada
The Element of Crime Forbrydelsens element Lars von Trier Denmark
I Know Catherine, the Log Lady Richard Green United States
Kwaidan Masaki Kobayashi Japan
Looking for Alexander Mémoires affectives Francis Leclerc Canada
Ms .45 Abel Ferrara United States
My Eye Mon œil Jean Pierre Lefebvre Canada
My Friend Pierrette Mon amie Pierrette Jean Pierre Lefebvre Canada
Q-Bec My Love Un succès commercial, ou Q-bec My Love Jean Pierre Lefebvre Canada
Resurrection Kuángyě Shídài Bi Gan China, France
Sholay Ramesh Sippy India
Spike of Bensonhurst Paul Morrissey United States
Videoheaven Alex Ross Perry United States

International Competition for Short Films

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
+10K Gala Hernández López France, Spain
Ali Adnan Al Rajeev Bangladesh, Philippines
Bad Ideas Jan Bujnowski Poland
Before the Sea Forgets Ngoc Duy Le Singapore
Cœur bleu Samuel Suffren Haiti, France
Common Pear Gregor Božič Slovenia, United Kingdom
The Contestant Patrick Bresnan United States
Durian, Durian Nelson Yeo Singapore
Erogenesis Xandra Popescu Germany, Romania
Extracurricular Activity Dean Wei, Xu Yidan China
Hyena Altay Ulan Yang United States, China
I'm Glad You're Dead Now Tawfeek Barhom France, Greece, Palestine
Loynes Dorian Jespers Belgium, France, United Kingdom, Macedonia
A Night in the Mountains Una noche en la montaña escuché una luz rugir Andrés Jiménez Quintero Colombia
Ponay (or You Are Not Fucking Welcome) Hesome Chemamah Thailand
Samba Infinito Leonardo Martinelli Brazil
La Sangre Joaquín León Spain
A Small Fiction of My Mother in Beijing Dorothea Sing Zhang China
A Soil a Culture a River a People Viv Li Germany, Belgium, China
A South-Facing Window Une fenêtre plein sud Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir France, Mongolia
Unavailable Kyrylo Zemlyanyi Ukraine, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria
A Very Straight Neck Neo Sora Japan, China
Wonderwall Róisín Burns France, United Kingdom
Yo Yo Mohammadreza Mayghani Iran, France

National Competition for Short Films

English title Original title Director(s) Province
Adventure FM Aventure FM Martin C. Pariseau Quebec
Ambush Yassmina Karajah Ontario
Among the Pines Dans les pins Shelagh Rowan-Legg Quebec
Boa Alexandre Dostie Quebec
Brief Somebodies Andy Reid Ontario
Land of Cold En pays froid Hervé Demers Quebec
Good Guy Julia Hendrickson Ontario
Hooked Natacha Bianchet Quebec
How's Archie? Jessie Posthumus Ontario
Kilómetro 126 Felipe López Gómez Ontario
A Kin Sin Gulzar Ontario
Klee Gavin Baird Saskatchewan
Make Money, Find Meaning, Don't Panic Comment devenir riche, épanoui et détendu Amélie Hardy Quebec
Nous sans toi Clara Prévost Quebec
The Palace Lauren Marsden British Columbia
Paradise Heights Karl Kai, Robert Mentov Ontario
Passé disparu Anna-Maria Dutoit Quebec
Picnic Pique-nique Jérémy Gagnon Quebec
La Retaguardia Olivier Côté, Jean-François Bouchard Quebec
Ripe Solara Thanh Bình Đặng British Columbia
A Soft Touch Heather Young Nova Scotia
Solitudes Ryan McKenna Quebec
Tant que nous sommes immortels Nora Burlet Dhainaut Quebec
Texas Switch Darren Dominique Heroux British Columbia
The Trial Luvleen Hunjan Ontario

Special Presentations Short Films

Wapikoni Mobile

Short films by indigenous directors associated with the Wapikoni Mobile film training program.

English title Original title Director(s) Country
Children of Earth Awaskinawason Antony Dubé Canada
Fleur Wapikoni Élisa Moar
In the Woods Dans les bois Mélina Quitich-Niquay
Ma connexion Myrann Newashish
Migrations Jacques Newashish
Notcimik itekera Eden Mallina Awashish
The Old Man and the River Kice iriniw acitc sipiriw Steven Chilton
Tobacco Tcictemaw Jessica Vollant
Transmission Marie-Kristine Petiquay
We Are the Future Nous sommes l'avenir Marie-Pier Chachai

Valentin Noujaïm Trilogy

English title Original title Director(s) Country
La Défense I : Pacific Club Valentin Noujaïm France
La Défense II : To Exist Under Permanent Suspicion
La Défense III : Demons to Diamonds

Spotlight: Yan Giroux

The early short films of filmmaker Yan Giroux, in conjunction with the competitive screening of his new feature film My Son Came Back to Disappear (Mon fils ne revint que sept jours).

English title Original title Director(s) Country
Le Blizzard Yan Giroux Canada
Il faut que je parle à mon père
Lost Paradise Lost
Mi niña mi vida
Standardized Patient Program Programme d'utilisation des patients standardisés
Surveillant

The New Alchemists, Short Films

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Arguments in Favor of Love Gabriel Abrantes Portugal
Bozo Over Roses Matty Sidle United States, Hungary, Germany
Bread Will Walk Le pain se lève Alex Boya Canada
The Conjured Ones Les conjurados Humberto González Bustillo Venezuela
Daria's Night Flowers Maryam Tafakory Iran, France, United Kingdom
Felt Blake Williams Canada
Force Times Displacement Angel Wu Taiwan
Glasses An-Gyeong Yumi Joung South Korea
Homunculus Bonheur Suprême France, Italy
I Saw the Face of God in the Jet Wash Mark Jenkin United Kingdom
if you seek amy Ela Kazdal United Kingdom, Turkey
Inanna Dragos Badita Canada, Romania
Karmash Aleem Bukhari Pakistan
Koki, Ciao Quenton Miller Netherlands
Land of Barbar Fredj Moussa Tunisia
Memory Is an Animal, It Barks with Many Mouths Eva Giolo Belgium
Merrimundi Niles Atallah Chile
The Orchards Al Basateen Antoine Chapon France
Pourrir/T'Aimer Lou Scamble Canada
Rojo Žalia Blau Viktoria Schmid Austria
Sixty-Seven Milliseconds fleuryfontaine France
Some of You Fucked Eva Lilith Grasmug France
A Suspended Tide Une marégraphie suspendue Félix Caraballo Canada
Their Eyes Nicolas Gourault France
This Is Not Your Garden Este no es tu jardín Carlos Velandia, Angélica Restrepo Colombia
Um Nieto France
Uncovered Nu·e·s Max Vannienschoot Canada

Pan-Canadian (RPCÉ) Student Short Film Competition

This year's international partner in the RPCÉ competition is the FESPACO festival in Burkina Faso.

English title Original title Director(s) Institution
0004ngel Eli Jean Tahchi INIS
Accusé de réception Julien Grandmont Université Laval
Après le silence Jean-François Cameron INIS
L'audition Anaïs Kere FESPACO
Beneath Our Skin Ngaire Lyden-Elleray University of British Columbia
Une brèche écarlate Laurence Ly INIS
Le chaos des nymphes Jean-François Cameron INIS
Con Fretta! Justine Pozon Alberta University of the Arts
Crimson François Trahan, Alhya Carbone, Tristan Beaulieu, Sarah Guilbeault Cégep de Saint-Hyacinthe
Cured by Death Bolun Zhao University of Toronto
In My Child's Mind Dans ma tête d'enfant Marie-Sophie Gagné, Charles Bergeron Cégep de Saint-Félicien
Dernière neige Joseph Asselin Université de Montréal
Des gens vivent ici Gabrielle Côté Université du Québec à Montréal
Déviellusion Éloîse Stuyck Collège Lionel-Groulx
Dissonance Andréanne Ferland, Alexis Pilote, Philippe Faucher Cégep de Sainte-Foy
Donde la Luna no Brilla Luis Eduardo Alonzo-Paz Concordia University
L'éléphant dans la pièce Flavie Laplante Cégep de Saint-Laurent
Les épiphanies Jeanne Perney Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup
The Feast (For my beloved son) Sara Gonzalez Lopez Les Écoles Créatives
Fils de chien Maude Vimal du Monteil Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf
Le foyer de la création Olympe Lessard Cégep de Rimouski
Hiver nucléaire Chloé Décarie Cégep du Vieux Montréal
I Ylane Massam Champlain College Saint-Lambert
Lullaby for a Deathdream Charlie Galea McClure Concordia University
Les masques Charlotte-Samuela Lambo, Maria-Fernanda Hinojosa, Sirine-Djalila Beghdadi, Zaynab Iamrini Cégep André-Laurendeau
Micheline Maude Demers-Rivard INIS
Mullein Will Fitzsimmons Simon Fraser University
Nocturne Andrew Przybytkowski INIS
Noyade Hugo Belhassen INIS
Phoenix Marylène Houle Wapikoni mobile
Le planeur Maude Demers-Rivard INIS
Pulsions harmonieuses Loïc Djibom Université Laval
Sans la moindre trace Hugo Belhassen INIS
Le scorpion et la grenouille Arthur Schwab O'Sullivan College
Le serment de Boukary Sagou Bannou FESPACO
Siob Laura Marroquín-Éthier INIS
Sous le voile de nos silences Délia Ido FESPACO
Sydney Grant Earl MacIntosh NSCAD University
La vierge de fer Maé Pozzolo, Léo Salaun Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
What Vermin Is This? Ava J. Stanley Emily Carr University of Art and Design

P'tits loups

Short film program of animation for children.

English title Original title Director(s) Production country
Awaiting the Lightning Bolt Marco Russo United Kingdom, Italy
Bobel's Kitchen Fiona Rolland Belgium
Les Bottes de la nuit Pierre-Luc Granjon France
Cardboard J.P. Vine United Kingdom
Dans ma tête d'enfant Marie-Sophe Gagné, Charles Bergeron Canada
Filante Marion Jamault France
Forevergreen Nathan Engelhardt, Jeremy Spears United States
Komaneko: A New Journey Komaneko no kaigai ryokou Tsuneo Goda Japan
The Legend of the Hummingbird Morgan Devos France
A Night at the Rest Area Saki Muramoto Japan
Outside the Milky Way Jasmine Carpentier Canada
Snow Bear Aaron Blaise United States

References

  1. ^ a b Manon Dumais, "Festival du nouveau cinéma: Le premier film de Marie Brassard en clôture". La Presse, August 7, 2025.
  2. ^ "Feature Films Awards 2025". Festival du nouveau cinéma. October 18, 2025. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  3. ^ "Short Films Awards 2025". Festival du nouveau cinéma. October 18, 2025. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  4. ^ Charles-Henri Ramond, "(FNC 2025) L’ouverture et la clôture sont dévoilées". Films du Québec, August 8, 2025.
  5. ^ Camille Dehaene, "Festival du Nouveau Cinéma 2025: Une sélection de courts-métrages provenant du monde entier". Atuvu, September 16, 2025.
  6. ^ Maxime Demers, "Le Festival du nouveau cinéma dévoile sa programmation". Le Journal de Montréal, September 23, 2025.