From August 4 to 14, the large, iconic tipi of the Présence Autochtone festival—which is celebrating its 36th anniversary this year—will be erected in the square and will serve as the centerpiece for the activities, concerts, films, and exhibitions of this grand celebration of Indigenous cultures from around the world.
The full festival program is here, and we’ve put together a selection of everything we’re going to see and do at Présence Autochtone this August.
Schedule for Présence Autochtone 2026
Tuesday, August 4
NITASSINAN at 7:30 p.m. at the Théâtre Outremont (opening night)
This stunning documentary, co-directed by Joséphine Bacon and Kim O’Bomsawin, is a testimonial portrait of the Innu people, set to open the festival with great beauty, a sense of connection to the land, and Indigenous resilience. It is a world premiere.
Wednesday, August 5
FESTIVAL SQUARE / ARTISANS (continuous programming)
At Place des Festivals (Place des Arts), the festival will host an artisan market featuring performances, music, puppetry, and plenty of community spirit and Indigenous culture. We’ll be spending a lot of time there throughout the ten days of the festival.
GIANT PUPPET PARADE from noon to 6:00 p.m.
*Inukjuak ᐃᓄᒃᔪᐊᒃ* by Hannah Walti and Geela Kumarluk at 6:00 p.m.
A collaborative documentary about the Inuit community of Inukjuak, in Nunavik. A portrait of immense beauty, resilience, and the North today.
RISING THROUGH THE FRAY by Courtney Montour at 6:30 p.m.
A heartfelt sports documentary about Indigenous Rising—a rising roller derby team competing in the world championships—that we’re really looking forward to seeing. Lots of adrenaline, lots of resilience, and athletes from some thirty Indigenous communities who skate incredibly fast. There will be a Q&A with Courtney Montour following the screening.
Featuring André Dudemaine, the festival’s founder, and Sedalia Fazo.
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Vans SKATE PARK at Place des Festivals (continuous programming)
Indigeneity is also about community—and community space, the “third space” missing from the modern world that we’re constantly talking about. During the festival, you can hang out at the Skate Park—a third community space.
NIRILAURTA by Malaya Quanirq-Chapman at 7:00 p.m.
An Inuit community facing food insecurity in the North nourishes both bodies and hearts through its traditions, the strength of its bonds, and its knowledge of the land.
Friday, August 7
LONGHOUSE – Wapikoni from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM
All Friday afternoon, Wapikoni will present a selection of short films by First Nations filmmakers. It’s an opportunity to fill your heart and eyes with Indigenous perspectives, stories, and cultures from around the world.
FLOWERS OF THE EARTH by Zaya Benazzo and Maurizio Benazzo at 6:00 p.m.
We’re eagerly looking forward to this documentary on the Guarani-Kaiowá people, set against the backdrop of the deteriorating landscapes of their territory and showcasing their “biological resilience” and indomitable spirit.
THE HAKA PARTY INCIDENT by Katie Wolfe at 8:30 p.m.
A film that revisits a chaotic episode in New Zealand’s contemporary history—the confrontation between a group of Māori activists and engineering students from the University of Auckland, all white men, who were staging their farcical “Haka Party,” a grotesque parody of a Māori cultural practice, performed during the end-of-year celebrations
Saturday, August 8
ARCHÉO-QUÉBEC: ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG SIMULATION from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
A workshop to discover archaeology, at Place des Festivals.
William C. WikcEmna Yamni SAM Wanzi at Place des Festivals at 4:30 p.m.
The DJ and artist—a member of the Sioux Valley Dakota First Nation and a Quebec native—creates visual and musical sets featuring the best of young Indigenous urban music.
#SKODEN by Damian Eagle Bear at 6:30 p.m.
On the first Saturday of the festival, we recommend checking out Damien Eagle Bear’s documentary, which reunites him with Pernell Bad Arm—the man photographed for a racist “meme” that went viral on social media before being reclaimed by Indigenous youth. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director.
DEAR ALASKA by Moriah Hayes at 8:30 p.m.
A beautiful Saturday night film about resilience and the Tinglit language, inspired by the spirit of the shark.
Sunday, August 9
9TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM “INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES ON THE AMERICAS”
At this festival, which brings together members of the media and Indigenous communities from around the world, this symposium serves as a sort of summit on Indigenous identity and its cultural influence.
August 9: National Film Board of Canada, near Place des Festivals in Montreal
August 10: Université du Québec à Montréal, Room J-1450.
August 11: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Cultural and Linguistic Center, in Kahnawà:ke”
*Free admission
BLOOD LINES by Gail Maurice at 6:30 p.m.
A touch of romance to wrap up the first week of Présence Autochtone with this film in which a storyteller from a Métis community and a woman searching for her roots fall in love—in the Michif language.
OUR BODY IS AN EXPANDING STAR by Semillites Hernández Velasco and Tania at 8:30 p.m.
Surreal, an exploration of the body, territory, and memory—featuring dance, visual collage, and a strange yet sublime film of identity that we can’t wait to see to inspire beautiful dreams (whether awake or not).
Monday, August 10
LA RAYA by Yolanda Cruz at 5:00 p.m.
The sudden appearance of a refrigerator, parents who’ve left to work in the United States, a depopulated village, unsettling apparitions—Yolanda Cruz’s film explores the existential realities of La Raya with a touch of surrealism and a lot of heart.
UN LUGAR MAS GRANDE by Nicolas Défossé at 6:00 p.m.
In Chiapas, Mexico, the Tila people decide to expel the mayor and the police from their territory. This is a film about self-governance, Zapatism, and the challenges of occupying one’s own territory. With Nicolas Défossé in attendance, followed by a Q&A moderated by Katia Morales Gaitan.
Tuesday, August 11
LAST STOP VIDEO RENTALS by Eric Janvier at 7:00 p.m.
For a dose of nostalgia, the ’90s, and the video store—one of the most sorely missed “third spaces”—we’re going to watch this film, which was shot on film in an actual video store. The character, Nick Young, has a broken heart (it’s very romantic, almost novelistic, to have a broken heart in a video store) and wants to go see *Star Wars*. It’s perfect.
Wednesday, August 12
RAISED BY THE CANOE by Cathrine Paul at 6:00 p.m.
At the Terry Lee Canoe Club of the Sts’ailes (Chehalis) First Nation, the canoe serves as a vehicle for cultural transmission, a symbol of territory, a source of familiarity, and a bearer of history in a beautiful film that speaks of much more than just a simple boat.
RIVER OF SPIRITS by Colectivo Tawna at 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 13
*Mārama* by Taratoa Stappard at 6:30 p.m.
To wrap up the festival on a high note, we can’t wait to see Taratoa Stappard’s film—a horror movie from Aotearoa (New Zealand) featuring a grand English manor, ghosts, and the terrifying truths of colonial exploitation.
Practical Information
Where? The list of venues where the festival’s activities and screenings will take place is here
When? August 4–14, 2026
