Summer evenings in Montreal just got a whole lot more cinematic, darling. And it will not cost you a single cent.
Cinéma sous les étoiles, now in its magnificent 17th edition, is returning to parks across Montreal from June 25 to August 30, 2026, with 40 free outdoor documentary screenings spread across 17 different neighbourhoods throughout the city. From the Plateau to Rosemont, Ville-Marie to Ahuntsic-Cartierville and beyond, there is a very good chance at least one stunning summer evening under the stars is happening right in your own neighbourhood.
The festival, produced by Funambules Médias, leans beautifully into documentary filmmaking with a genuine social conscience. The lineup covers everything from environmental collapse and colonialism to migration, feminism, artificial intelligence, and labour movements, with a thoughtful mix of Quebec productions alongside international titles that feel both urgent and deeply relevant. And many screenings are followed by discussions with filmmakers and guests, making this a proper cultural evening out rather than simply a movie in the park.
Opening night on Thursday, June 25 at Parc Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier on the Plateau promises to be particularly special, with a festive atmosphere complete with music, local drinks, and the North American premiere of Steal This Story, Please!
A few unmissable highlights from the summer lineup: Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics screens August 5 at Parc Westmount. Wider Than the Sky, exploring the world of artificial intelligence, lands July 7 at Parc du Pélican. Rougemania, a powerful documentary on the impact of colonialism on First Nations, screens July 10 and again August 3. Occupations, about student protest movements, goes up July 1 at Parc Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier. And the Quebec production Baie James 1975: Le choc des nations screens August 7 at Centre de la nature.
Free. Thought-provoking. Beautifully Montreal. This is exactly the kind of summer evening we live for.
Full schedule available at cinemasouslesetoiles.org. Free admission. June 25 to August 30, 2026.