the 28th image+nation Montreal International LGBT Film Festival, Nov 26 – Dec 6

image+nation, Canada’s longest-running LGBT film festival, is all set to return for another 10 days of the finest LGBT cinema from across the globe.

From 26 November - 6 December, image+nation 28 will bring to Montréal the cream of world LGBT cinema for an incredible 28th year in a row. With a line-up of unflinching, powerful documentaries, beautifully shot art-house creations, hilarious comedies and more, image+nation 28 has something for all tastes.

This year, for the very first time, The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts will host image+nation in the cultural heart of Montreal. As well as opening and closing events, the museum will be a primary venue for the duration of the Festival. As part of the image+nation @ MBAM series, where monthly image+nation screenings have been taking place throughout the year, the festival includes Welcome to This House: A Film on Elizabeth Bishop / Where Are The Dolls on Nov 28. image+nation @ MBAM is an intimate series of films and interviews that introduce a new voice and vision exploring the interweaving of identities and cultural expression.

Italian Contemporary Film Festival roundup

by Allan Tong

The Italian Contemporary Film Festival (ICFF) is enjoying one of its stronger years. From drama to documentary, the films in 2015 are consistently rewarding. Though I haven't seen a terrible movie yet,  I also haven't found a superb one either. To speak in baseball terms, the ICFF films are hitting singles and doubles, but no homers yet. Here are a few to consider this weekend at screenings in Toronto, Vaughan, Montreal and Quebec City. (Check here for screening times in your city.)

Midnight Sun is an entertaining family film about a boy who befriends a lost cub in frigid northern Canada. Think boy-and-his-dog adventure, except the dog is a polar bear and the terrain is covered in snow and ice flows. It stars Toronto's own Dakota Goyo.

Sin, redemption, family. These are well-worn themes that drive the thriller Perez. It's about an incorruptible lawyer from Naples who defends underdogs until his daughter hooks up with a mobster. Not a smart move. Without spoiling the film, let's say that daddy lawyer Perez has to compromise his ethics by striking a deal with the mobster's boss to help him recover some precious diamonds. Perez is slick and stylish, and lead Luca Zingaretti is a strong, stoic presence as Perez. However, as mentioned above the movie doesn't tread new ground.