The Plein(s) Écran(s) short film festival has just unveiled the full programming for its 10th edition, taking place from January 21 to 31, 2026. This anniversary edition will feature 39 films, 36 of which will be available for free online across Canada. The festival will also host a series of public events at the Cinémathèque québécoise, Cinéma Public, Salle Jean-Claude Lauzon (UQAM), Ausgang Plaza, and Turbo Haüs. For the first time, the festival is moving away from Meta platforms, focusing instead on an increased theatrical presence with an expanded range of festive and community-driven activities.

In this spirit, Plein(s) Écran(s) welcomes actress Anne-Élisabeth Bossé as the spokesperson for the 2026 edition. She will participate in several festival events, including the screenplay reading, and will share her cinematic favorites in the first episode of a new podcast series giving a voice to filmmakers. Broadcast daily through a partnership with Les Copains du Son and the Caisse de la Culture Desjardins, this series, hosted by Alex Mendel, will also be filmed.

Canadian cinephiles will be able to discover four works per day, available for 24 hours on the festival’s website. Selected by a committee consisting of Catherine Brunet (actress), Lex Garcia (screenwriter), and Marc-Antoine Lemire (filmmaker), under the direction of Ariane Roy-Poirier, General and Artistic Director of Plein(s) Écran(s), the 32 Quebec films in official competition are organized around four themes that define this year’s program. This selection highlights the best of short films, featuring works that are comforting, surprising, intense, and adorable—designed to captivate all audiences, whatever their mood!

To kick off the festivities, Plein(s) Écran(s) will present the comforting Mes murs-mémoires by Axel Robin, the surprising Chez Ghislaine by Franie-Éléonore Bernier, the intense Mercenaire by Pier-Philippe Chevigny, and the adorable Perfectly a Strangeness by Alison McAlpine during a grand opening night. This event will take place on Wednesday, January 21 at 7:00 PM at the Cinémathèque québécoise, in the presence of the filmmakers and crews.

COMFORTING 

Films that make you want to embrace life.

Presented at the opening, the beautiful and gentle Mes murs-mémoires by Axel Robin (January 22) will set the tone for an anniversary edition arriving at a time of year when comfort and vitality are most welcome. Seven other tonic and deeply human works will be presented under this theme: Emboîter leurs pas by Manuel Piron (January 23), Ilnikueu by the Puakuteu Women’s Committee (January 24), Anyway, j’pisse assis by Zak Slattery (January 25), Hypersensible by Martine Frossard (January 27), Orbites by Sarah Seené (January 28), Le Patenteux by Maude Petel-Légaré (January 29), and Le Punk de Natashquan by Nicolas Lachapelle (January 30).

SURPRISING 

Films that defy expectations.

This year, viewers will discover films that astonish with their audacity and inventiveness, such as Chez Ghislaine by Franie-Éléonore Bernier (January 22), Salem sur la route by Étienne Galloy (January 23), Des gens vivent ici by Gabrielle Côté (January 24), The Bingo Sisters by Andrew Przybytkowski (January 25), Platanero by Juan Frank Hernandez (January 27), Gender Reveal by Mo Matton (January 28—which was presented last year), Hello, My Name is Beaver by Trevor Blumas (January 29), and 0004NGEL by Eli Jean Tahchi (January 30). These works promise to surprise with their originality while offering a fresh perspective on Quebec short films.

INTENSE 

Films that provoke strong emotions.

The strikingly intense short films of this edition will include Mercenaire by Pier-Philippe Chevigny (January 22), A Dying Tree by Vincent René-Lortie (January 23), Who Loves the Sun by Arshia Shakiba (January 24), Después del silencio by Matilde-Luna Perotti (January 25), Uasheshkun by Normand Junior Thirnish-Pilot (January 27), Le vrai Jo by Zackary Bourdeau-Pouplier (January 28), Rituels sous un ciel écarlate by Dominique Chila and Samer Najari (January 29), and Zoé by Rémi St-Michel (January 30). These films stand out for their narrative power and their ability to move audiences through memorable characters and stories.

ADORABLE 

Films that know how to charm.

The programming also includes short films that charm with their humor, tenderness, and freshness. Among them, Perfectly a Strangeness by Alison McAlpine (January 22)—still in the race for the Oscars® in the Best Documentary Short Film category—Cher Zoscar by Sarah Toussaint-Léveillé (January 23), Boîte à savon by Jimmy G. Pettigrew (January 24), Crème à glace by Rachel Samson (January 25), Les faux sapins by Justine Martin (January 27), Angle mort by Charlie Guèvremont (January 28), Himalia by Juliette Lossky and Clara Milo (January 29), and La petite ancêtre by Alexa Tremblay-Francoeur (January 30) showcase situations full of charm that bring a smile and touch the heart.

TEA TIME 

On Saturday, January 24 at 2:00 PM at Vidéographe (4550 Garnier St, Montreal), the first Plein(s) Écran(s) professional event will take place to demystify short film distribution. Tea Time offers a friendly format where filmmakers can discuss and ask questions directly to industry professionals, while getting to know the members of the Regroupement des distributeurs indépendants de films du Québec (RDIFQ). The panel will feature experts from Welcome Aboard, Travelling, and Vidéographe. Free, registration required.

THE SCREENING THAT HITS HARD… AGAIN! 

Following the immense success of La projection qui fesse initiated last year to present wild works at risk of censorship by Meta, Plein(s) Écran(s) is bringing back this event with four equally bold films. The shorts 0004NGEL by Eli Jean Tahchi, BOA by Alexandre Dostie, Nuit blonde by Gabrielle Demers, and SDR by Alexa-Jeanne Dubé will be shown on Saturday, January 24 at 9:00 PM at the Cinémathèque québécoise. Free, by reservation.

FREE ENTRY TO TWO FLAGSHIP EVENTS 

Two flagship events return this year: the Commented Screening of the short film Platanero, a film that has traveled the world since its selection at the Sundance Film Festival. Join us on Sunday, January 25 at 7:00 PM at Cinéma Public for a meeting with filmmaker Juan Frank Hernandez and the cast.

Another free activity for festival-goers: a Masterclass with filmmakers Matthew Rankin and Sophie Deraspe. The event will take place on Monday, January 26 at 7:00 PM at Salle Jean-Claude Lauzon (UQAM).

CARTE BLANCHE FOR VISIONS DU RÉEL 

This year, the Swiss festival Visions du Réel offers a “carte blanche” celebrating innovative forms of documentary cinema with a selection of four award-winning short films. On Monday, January 26, audiences from around the world can discover Souvenirs d’une journée parfaite by Davina Maria, Contraindre by fleuryfontaine, Crushed by Camille Vigny, and Apoléon by Amir Youssef from the comfort of their homes.

SCREENPLAY READING 

Driven by public enthusiasm, the Screenplay Reading returns this year in a new setting. Orchestrated by director Jean-François Leblanc (Vil et Misérable), the evening will notably feature spokesperson Anne-Élisabeth Bossé, accompanied by a troupe of talented actors.

The event will be held on January 29 at 7:00 PM at Ausgang Plaza, featuring readings of scripts from five short films. Tickets available online.

A PUNK CLOSING NIGHT 

On Saturday, January 31, after nine days of discovering the 32 Quebec shorts in competition, the public will be invited to vote for their favorite film among those that received the most interactions (likes, shares, comments). The top five films will be rebroadcast for the Ultimate Vote day.

Starting at 7:00 PM, festival-goers are invited to Turbo Haüs (2040 St-Denis St, Montreal) for an evening inspired by the closing film Le Punk de Natashquan. The awards ceremony will be followed by a discussion with the audience and a special performance by the rock band PRINCESSES. Tickets available online.

A collection of all films from the 10th edition will be available from February 1 to 28, 2026, on the Ciné-Club Plein(s) Écran(s) for $15.

For full details on the 2026 programming, visit pleinsecrans.com.

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