Spike Lee, Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte… This isn’t the first time that the Montreal International Black Film Festival (FIFBM) has honored black film artists at cinema. But this year, in its 17th year, the International Federation of Fine Arts will pay special attention to artists from the Francophonie.

In addition to the honor given by Omar Sy, winner of the Cesar Award for Best Actor in 2012 for forbiddenThe prize will also be awarded to Haitian-Canadian visual artist and film director, Martine Chartrand (dark spiritAnd Macpherson) as well as the activist and actress in Guadeloupe, Fermin Richard (8 WomenAnd first star).

The winner and two winners will meet with FIFA President and Founder, Fabian Colas, to discuss privately their career development, their rise to success, and the importance of diversity in front of and behind the camera.

This year, more than 134 films from 30 countries will be shown online or on screens at Cinéma Impérial, Cinéma Beaubien, Cinéma du Parc and Cinémathèque Québécoise.

Raised fist 1968

Fabian Colas, founder of FIFBM (and countless other festivals, including the Festival Nuits d’Afrique), among others, recommends the documentary. with outstretched arms (fists raised)And Which will be shown at the opening of the festival at Imperial Cinemas on September 22 at 7 pm.

It tells the story of Tommy Smith, an American athlete who raised his fist during the medal ceremony at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

This emblematic civil rights gesture for African Americans was echoed decades later, most notably by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who made a similar gesture in 2016. The latter speaks in the film alongside other characters such as the gold medalist In American football, Megan Rapinoe and the late John Lewis, a member of the US House of Representatives.