The Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF), created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, is back for its 22nd edition from September 23 to 27, 2026, featuring a lineup of 70 films from 21 countries, including 1 North American premiere, 8 Canadian premieres, 35 Quebec premieres, 2 Montreal premieres, and 3 world premieres.
For over 22 years, the MIBFF has been committed to amplifying Black voices on screen and offering an essential platform to filmmakers whose works raise awareness, foster dialogue, and inspire social change. As Canada’s largest Black film festival and the only bilingual (French-English) festival of its kind in North America, the MIBFF continues to showcase a new generation of cinema that moves audiences, challenges perspectives, and celebrates the diversity of Black realities around the world.
OPENING NIGHT: FILM AND TRIBUTE
Éric Idriss-Kanago
The red carpet opening night will take place on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 7 PM at the Théâtre Outremont, featuring the Quebec premiere of The Eyes of Ghana, directed by Oscar-winning Canadian filmmaker Ben Proudfoot and executive produced by Michelle and Barack Obama. Producer Nana Adwoa Frimpong will be in attendance for a Q&A session following the screening.
Directed by two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot, The Eyes of Ghana is a powerful feature-length documentary following Chris Hesse, a 93-year-old filmmaker and former personal director of photography for Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah. As blindness closes in and time runs out, Hesse embarks on an extraordinary mission: to save and repatriate a hidden archive of over 1,000 films tracing the birth of African independence movements in the 1950s and 1960s.
The screening of The Eyes of Ghana will be preceded by a tribute to award-winning Quebec producer Éric Idriss-Kanago, who will be presented with the MIBFF Avant-Garde Award.
CLOSING NIGHT: FILM AND AWARDS CEREMONY
The 2026 MIBFF will close on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at 5 PM at the Cinéma du Musée with the Quebec premiere of DIYAH, directed by Achille Ronaimou.
Through a deeply human and intimate narrative, DIYAH explores themes of resilience, identity, and personal transformation, offering a powerful reflection on contemporary realities and the complexity of human relationships.
The closing film screening will be preceded by the MIBFF awards ceremony.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
SOME FILMS NOT TO MISS
Rumba Royale – Hamed Mobasser, Yohane Dean Lengol (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Seahorse – Aisha Evelyna (Canada – Ontario)
El Día de la Tormenta (The Day of the Storm) – Alexander Viola (Dominican Republic)
Se Eu Fosse Vivo… Vivia (If I Were Alive) – André Novais Oliveira (Brazil)
Pasa Faho – Kalu Oji (Australia)
Mata – Rachel Lang (France, Belgium)
Soley Twopikal Ak De Je Li – Elisee Junior St Preux (Haiti)
Brothers in Blood: Black in Vietnam – Joseph Puleo (USA)
Métisses – Cinq Femmes Contre Un Crime d’État – Quentin Noirfalisse, Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo (Belgium, France)
Coeur de Motard – Will Prosper (Canada – Quebec)
Source – Lynda Amghar, Jeff Malo (Canada – Quebec)
Espwa Haïti : Contre Toute Attente (Espwa Haiti: Against All Odds) – Isabelle Depelteau, Noémie Ferron (Canada – Quebec)
CANADA IN FOCUS
Presented out of competition in Montreal, as well as in the five other Black Film Festivals across Canada (Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver), this section represents a unique initiative: a pan-Canadian tour allowing essential and striking works to reach audiences across the country.
The 2026 Canada in Focus selection includes:
Profilage nocturne (The Night Watches Us) – Stefan Verna
Jireh Gospel, une famille de chœur (Jireh Gospel: Hearts in Chorus) – Wylem Decaille
MABOUNGOU : Hors-centres (Maboungou: Being in the World) – Marlene Millar, Philip Szporer (Quebec)
Coaching While Black – Alex Eskandarkhah (Ontario)
1001 Couronnes pour ma tête – Habibata Ouarme
La Fête des Pères – Ayana O’Shun
L’appel du Nord (True North) – Michèle Stephenson
Cypher – Mariam Barry, Eva Anandi Brownstein
Her Ordinary World – Samuel Dayomi
Wave Rider – Dustin Chok
Le monde est à elles (The World Is Ours) – Nadia Louis-Desmarchais
SNAP Parts 1 and 2: Snap – Archie’s Story – George Stamos
SNAP Parts 1 and 2: Snap – Zab’s Story – George Stamos
Presented by NETFLIX, in collaboration with National Bank, and with the support of Telefilm Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts.
September 24, 7 PM | Cinéma du Parc
Nearly 30 Canadian short films made by the 2025 cohort will be screened during the festival. The “Being Black in Canada” program is a professional development initiative.
Last year, it supported 27 Black Canadian filmmakers aged 18 to 30 from Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver in creating short documentaries. This program is an essential step toward increased representation and greater racial equity, both in front of and behind the camera. As a one-of-a-kind project, it continues to inspire the next generation by fostering the emergence of talents from diverse cultural backgrounds. By supporting tomorrow’s filmmakers and creating opportunities to tell authentic stories, the program contributes to a lasting transformation of the Canadian cinematic landscape.
MIBFF BLACK MARKET
Presented by Festwave Institute, Telefilm Canada, and SODEC September 26 | Théâtre Colas | Free, registration required
The MIBFF Black Market is entirely dedicated to cinema industry professionals. Conferences, discussions, and workshops will provide a privileged space to reflect on industry realities, challenge established practices, foster collaboration, and encourage knowledge sharing.
IN-PERSON PANELS AND WORKSHOPS
September 26, 11:30 AM | WORKSHOP: “From Vision to Business: Creating Your Own Production House” – Presented by the Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM)
September 26, 12:45 PM | PRESENTATION OF THE BE SEEN QUÉBEC REPORT – Produced by Coalition M.É.D.I.A., Black on Black Films, and the Black Screen Office
September 26, 2:15 PM | MASTERCLASS: “From Music to Image in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”
September 26, 3:30 PM | CASE STUDY: “From Emerging Voice to Funded Feature Film” with director Yzaïh Phénix-Alphonse – Presented by the Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM)
MIBFF IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS
Presented by the Fabienne Colas Foundation September 24-25 | Free admission
As part of the 7th edition of MIBFF in the Neighborhoods, several free screenings will be presented across Montreal in partnership with various cultural institutions. This initiative offers youth and the general public free access to films directed by members of the Black community. Each screening will be followed by a 60-minute discussion with the filmmakers.
September 24 – 7 PM | In partnership with the Maison de la culture Côte-des-Neiges | À travers tes yeux (Brigitte Poupart, Fabiola Pierre-Montly), followed by a discussion with co-director Fabiola Pierre-Montly.
September 25 – 8:30 PM | Cinéma Public | Il n’y a pas de faux métiers (There Are No False Undertakings) by Olivier Godin, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.
November 15 – 2:00 PM | Maison culturelle et communautaire de Montréal-Nord | Ma frère (Summer Beats) by Lise Akoka and Romane Guéret.
SPOTLIGHT ON OTHER BLACK ART FORMS – POP-UP MARKET
September 26, 11 AM to 6 PM | Théâtre Colas | Free admission
Take part in the second edition of the MIBFF Pop-Up Market at Théâtre Colas, an event showcasing the talent of Black artisans and entrepreneurs from Montreal. In this iconic venue, whose raw and history-rich atmosphere continues to inspire, discover a unique selection of handcrafted creations, original artwork, fashion, accessories, home decor, and much more. Come meet passionate creators and celebrate the richness and diversity of Black entrepreneurship and artistic creation in Montreal.
