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FESTIVAL

TheAu Contraire Film Festivalis dedicated to promoting a more enlightened perspective and showcasing films that explore the complexities and realities of living with mental health challenges.

2024 PROGRAMMING AND WINNERS COMING SOON!

JOIN US

Don't miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this vital movement. Join us today in our mission to make a difference!

2024 WINNERS

Official Selection

PROGRAMS

ACFF 2024 Programs

Programs offered online and on-site

VIRTUAL OR ONSITE SCREENINGS

Corporate Offering

Partner with us to destigmatize mental illness and open conversations that help change the workplace for the better. We are committed to helping companies like yours promote mental health awareness and support workplace health. 

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Educational Institutions

Educational institution film screenings and dialogue sessions create an immersive experience for young people.  It supports them to understand real-life scenarios and promote empathy, understanding, and compassion towards those with lived experience of mental health challenges.  

SHARING FILM EXPERIENCES

W.M.H.M October 2024

World mental health day 10 October 2024 is dedicated time when internationally we unite to destigmatize mental health and support our communities. Let us provide you with the tools to spark important conversations, support education, and create a lasting impact in your community.

MISSION

We believe that through the power of film, we can raise awareness, foster empathy, and inspire change. Let's come together and support a world where people with mental health challenges are understood, accepted, and embraced for who they are.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this vital movement. Join us today in our mission to make a difference! 

HISTORY

Paradis Urbain

The Au Contraire Film Festival is an initiative of Urban Pardes, a Canadian registered charity whose greater mission is assisting individuals, who, due to their mental illness, are having difficulty moving forward and recovering their lives.

Recognizing the power of creative expression as a catalyst that inspires Montreal citizens to take action, Urban Pardes, through the Au Contraire Film Festival, strives to dispel stereotypes and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

WHY FILM?

TheAu Contraire Film Festivalis dedicated to promoting a more enlightened perspective and showcasing films that explore the complexities and realities of living with mental health challenges.

Too often, movies can stigmatize or distort mental health concerns, making characters with an issue seem different from everyone else. As a result, people who deal with these issues every day can end up feeling ostracized.

Join us in our mission to break down stereotypes and challenge stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness. The Au Contraire Film Festival is dedicated to promoting a more enlightened perspective and showcasing films that explore the complexities and realities of mental health. 

Our impact in numbers

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In-person Screenings
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International Film Submissions
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Educational Institutions
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The audience will get a chance to experience the incredible resilience of those featured in the films as well as the healing power of love, family and community and the sublimating power of art! And they will be entertained!

Cybil Geracimo

ACFF Curator, Programming Director

Our Diamond Sponsors