Festival du Nouveau Cinema (FNC Montreal)

Overview

The Festival du Nouveau Cinema (FNC) is Montreal's most adventurous film festival. Founded in 1971 and held annually in October in Montreal, the festival presents innovative and formally daring international and Canadian cinema with a distinctive focus on the intersections between cinema and digital media, interactive arts, and emerging technologies.

FNC's name -- New Cinema -- reflects a founding commitment to presenting cinema that represents the future rather than the mainstream. For over five decades, the festival has championed formally innovative filmmakers and has consistently integrated new media forms into its programming before other festivals recognized their significance.

Montreal's identity as a French-Canadian city -- with deep connections to French cinema culture alongside its North American context -- gives FNC a distinctive cultural position that draws from both French cinephile traditions and American indie culture.

Key Sections

• Competiton Section -- formally innovative films competing for prizes
• Temps Libre -- formally adventurous work outside conventional categories
• International Competition -- world and North American premieres
• Canadian Cinema -- new Canadian features
• Numerique -- digital, interactive, and new media arts
• Short Film Competition -- innovative short films

What Filmmakers Should Know

FNC accepts open submissions. The festival is specifically receptive to formally innovative and digitally adventurous work. Montreal's bilingual French-English character creates an audience that bridges Francophone and Anglophone North American film cultures.

Major Awards

• Grand Prix -- Best Film
• Special Jury Prize
• Best Canadian Film
• Audience Award

Festival History

FNC was founded in 1971 and has operated for over five decades as Montreal's most artistically adventurous film event.

See Also

For Canadian cinema, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.