Les Amis de la montagne presents, in collaboration with Funambules Médias as part of the Cinema under the Stars festival, three free evenings of outdoor documentary cinema on Mount Royal, on August 4, 11 and 21, 2026 at 8:15 p.m. celebrating the 150th anniversary of Mount Royal Park and the 40th anniversary of Friends of the Mountain.
The three works were selected for their resonance with the mission and actions of the Friends. In the Forest by Pascale Ferland explores the tension between the protection and exploitation of the forest, a question at the heart of the daily work of the Friends on Mount Royal. Chronicle of a City by Nadine Gomez questions our relationship to shared urban space, a questioning that resonates with our conviction that the mountain is both an ecosystem to be preserved and a place of collective life to be inhabited with care. Urban Forests by Anne-Marie Rocher highlights citizen and indigenous greening initiatives across Canada, directly echoing the Ecological Network Conservation Plan launched by the Friends in 2023.
The screenings will take place on August 4, 11 and 21, 2026 at 8:15 p.m., in the Beaver Lake sector of Mount Royal Park. Admission is free and activities are open to all audiences. “What could be more appropriate than celebrating Mount Royal Park by gathering there under the stars to reflect together on the place of nature in our lives and in our cities. These three films remind us that protecting the mountain also means collectively imagining the city we want for the next generations,” underlines Christophe Derrien, general director of Friends of the Mountain.
Registration is free and recommended, and the evenings are open to all audiences. The screenings are held outdoors, whatever the weather. In the event of exceptional weather conditions, a notice will be sent to registrants.
Synopsis and practical information
In the Forest by Pascale FerlandThrough fragments of life that intersect and contradict each other, this film sketches the portrait of a world where the desire to protect and exploit the forest coexists. Faced with climate change and the sixth mass extinction, he whispers to anyone who can listen about the urgency of protecting the fragile balance between humanity, fauna and flora. Tuesday, August 4, 2026, 8:15 p.m., Beaver Lake sector, Mount Royal Park. Free, all audiences.
Chronicle of a City by Nadine GomezThis wandering essay is woven through encounters and oscillates between fantasy and reality. It reminds us that we inhabit the city as much as it inhabits us in return, and invites us to see our urbanity as a space of feelings that pushes us towards others, despite the ambient solitude.Tuesday August 11, 2026, 8:15 p.m., Lac aux Castors sector, Parc du Mont-Royal. Free, all audiences.
Urban forests by Anne-Marie RocherFrom Montreal to Vancouver, this documentary highlights citizen and indigenous initiatives that restore nature’s place in the city, and shows how urban forests can improve our living environments, fight climate change and inspire a greener, fairer and more vibrant future. Friday, August 21, 2026, 8:15 p.m., Lac aux Castors sector, Mount Royal Park. Free, all audiences.
About Funambules Médias and the Cinéma sous lesétoiles festival Cinéma sous lesétoiles is a Montreal festival dedicated to documentary cinema of a social and political nature. Each screening is accompanied by discussions with filmmakers and specialists on the themes covered. This year marks the 17th edition of the festival.