If your summer plans are looking a little light on the cultural side, here’s an easy (that won’t cost you a dime).
Cinéma sous les étoiles, now in its 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 locations in the city.
The whole thing is free, and some outdoor screenings are followed by discussions with filmmakers and other guests, so it’s a proper evening out rather than just a movie in the park.
The festival is put on by Funambules Médias and leans into documentary filmmaking with a social conscience. The lineup covers everything from environmental collapse to colonialism, migration, feminism, technology and labour, with a solid mix of Quebec productions alongside international titles.
Opening night is Thursday, June 25 at Parc Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier on the Plateau, with a festive evening that includes music, local drinks and the North American premiere of Steal This Story, Please!
A few films worth flagging from the summer lineup: Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics screens August 5 at Parc Westmount. Wider Than the Sky, which takes on artificial intelligence, lands July 7 at Parc du Pélican. Rougemania, a documentary exploring the impact of colonialism on First Nations, screens July 10 at Aréna Edgar Rouleau and again August 3 at Place Henri-Dunant. Occupations, about student protest movements, goes up July 1 at Parc Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier. And Baie James 1975: Le choc des nations, a Quebec production, screens August 7 at Centre de la nature.
Screenings are spread across a wide range of neighbourhoods, including Plateau-Mont-Royal, Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, Ville-Marie, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, the Sud-Ouest and beyond, so there’s a good chance at least one screening ends up close to home this summer.
The full schedule is available at cinemasouslesetoiles.org.
Cinéma sous les étoiles 2026
Price: Free
Dates: June 25 to August 30, 2026
Where: Various parks across Montreal and Cowansville
This story was inspired by the article “Tu peux regarder 40 films à 0 $ sous le ciel étoilé cet été à Montréal” which was originally published on Narcity.