Montreal, Monday, August 18, 2025 - The Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) is proud to announce the opening and closing films of its 28th edition, which will take place from November 20 to 30, 2025.
To open the festival, the programming team has chosen Letters from Wolf Street by filmmaker Arjun Talwar. Making its mark at the Berlinale and CPH:DOX, this documentary paints a tender and nuanced portrait of a Warsaw neighbourhood, seen through the eyes of a director with an immigrant background, in search of belonging.
To bring the festival to a close, RIDM will present The Blueberry Blues (Les blues du bleuet), an ensemble film deeply rooted in the Lac-Saint-Jean region. For this third feature film, filmmaker Andrés Livov focuses his camera on a community gathered around the iconic fruit during the summer season.
Opening Film – LETTERS FROM WOLF STREET by Arjun Talwar
Interested in Polish cinema, Arjun Talwar left India to study film in Poland. A decade later, his integration into the country has proven slower and more complex than anticipated. Driven by a genuine desire to connect, camera in hand, he casts a tender and caring gaze on his neighbours on Wolf Street, in Warsaw. With the help of his witty friend Mo Tan, a Chinese immigrant with whom he studied, the filmmaker reveals the banalities of everyday life in his neighbourhood, its contradictions, forged or rejected relationships, latent or overt racism, and manifestations of division or acceptance. The result is a nuanced portrait of this microcosm with a healthy dose of humour. This sincere antidote to hatred tackles several issues relating to immigration, racism, and belonging, showing how the present carries a heavy past.
Produced by Uni-Solo Studio and inselfilm produktion, Letters from Wolf Street will have its North American Premiere as the opening film of the festival on Thursday, November 20 at Monument-National, in the presence of filmmaker Arjun Talwar. A second screening of the film will be held as part of RIDM.
Closing Film – THE BLUEBERRY BLUES by Andrés Livov
Over a century and a half ago in Lac-Saint-Jean, major forest fires helped create fertile ground for the legendary presence of blueberries. Today, it faces many challenges, including climate change, the modernization of agricultural models, and economic conditions. Through different stories and aspirations that come together and interact, this ensemble film reveals the intricate ties of a diverse community united around this iconic fruit of the region. This sensitive and skilfully constructed film infuses a note of optimism without denying current and future challenges thanks to a rich sound design in which music serves as a meeting point.
The Blueberry Blues will close the festival and have its Canadian Premiere on Saturday, November 29 at Cineplex Odéon Quartier Latin, with filmmaker Andrés Livov in attendance (by invitation only). A second screening of the film, open to the public, will take place on Sunday, November 30. Produced by Les Glaneuses and distributed by SPIRA, the documentary will be released in Quebec in winter 2026.
The full program of RIDM will be unveiled on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
About RIDM
Striving to showcase the most stimulating and diverse visions of documentary cinema, the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) offers audiences a unique program that brings together the works of established filmmakers and promising new talents, while focusing on creating encounters between artists and audiences.
The 28th annual RIDM will take place from November 20 to 30, 2025.
Information: ridm.ca / info@ridm.ca
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