Things to do in Montreal: November 14-20

The best of LGBT cinema hits our screens this week, not to mention tons of docs, providing the perfect excuse for some hibernating. Plus there’s contemporary dance, visual arts and tons of music to keep you warm… the only excuse to leave the house might be the shopping…

(moving images) The celebrated LGBT film festival Image+Nation kicks off on November 20, with a scorcher of an opening film: The Way He Looks (Hoje eu quero voltar sozinho), by Brazilian director Daniel Ribeiro, which tells the story of a budding summer love to a soundtrack by Belle and Sebastian. It was a hit at the 2014 Berlin Film Festival, where it nabbed the Teddy Award. Otherwise Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire continues through November 23, bringing us countless docs, each more edifying than the previous. Check out The Secret Trial on November 14 at 7 pm, about five men held without charges for more than a decade in Canada, and the North American premiere of China Me on November 15 at 8:45 pm, a fascinatingly poetic picture of contemporary China. You can also catch the last couple days of Cinémania, the French film festival with English subtitles – if you still haven’t seen Saint Laurent, now’s your chance!

(culture club) How about an excuse to dress up for dinner and a world-class floorshow (complete with tap dancers, acrobats, burlesque artists, a contortionist, music and comedy) followed by a night of dancing to jazz standards? November 15 is date-night extraordinaire at Sala Rossa thanks to Fancy Pants Supper Club, a co-creation of former Cirque du Soleil clown Joe De Paul and Kiss My Cabaret impresario Danette Mackay. Tickets are only $30, and that includes a glass of bubbly. Dance fans won’t want to miss a Danish ode to Leonard Cohen in the form of Dance Me to the End on/off Love at Centaur Theatre, from November 19 to 22. Meanwhile, on the visual arts front, the Montreal Biennale continues at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal and beyond. If you prefer you arts commercial, don’t miss the Nënë Market, a pre-Holidays shopping opportunity for all plovers of fine crafts, including jewelry, textiles, posters and toys. It’s at Espace Infopresse on November 15 and 16.

(live music) Catch the last of Coup de Coeur Francophone until November 16, including DJ Horg’s hip-hop at Divan Orange on November 15 and Jason Bajada at Verre Bouteille on closing night. Then comes the M for Montreal Festival, from November 19 to 22, bringing us all sorts of shows by local luminaries – including Little Scream at Sala Rossa on opening night, featuring the quirky, heart swelling folk pop of Laurel Sprengelmeyer. Before that, though, you won’t want to miss the seductive electro of Ryan Hemsworth at Le Belmont on November 14. On November 16, check out a rare live performance by Boundary, the latest project of Montreal music magnate Ghislain Poirier, happening at Le Bleury. St. Lucia plays the Corona Theatre on November 17, while November 20 brings Interpol to Metropolis.

Photo credits: Ellie Pritts // M for Montreal, The Way He Looks.

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