The Montreal World Film Festival (Festival des Films du Monde - Montréal (FFM)) is Montreal's oldest current film festival. It displaced the old defunct Montreal Film Festival. The WFF is controlled by Serge Losique, who is known for capriciousness.

The WFF had a falling out with its government cultural funders, SODEC and TeleFilm Canada in 2004 due to the lack of clarity and arbitrariness of Losique's guiding hand. The two government agencies pulled their cultural funding, as Losique refused to give them any say in the matter.

In the wake of the pullout, the two funding agencies announced a new Montreal International Film Festival, to displace Losique's affair. This would be managed by Spectra Entertainment, and headed by Daniel Langlois (of Softimage and Ex-Centris and FCMM). However, the inaugural edition of the new festival was unsuccessful and has been suspended.

In 2005, Losique announced and subsequently pulled the film Karla). The film, about Karla Homolka was controversial in Canada, with many seeking a Canada-wide boycott of the ephebophilic high school girl sex-slaver and murderess. He was forced to pull it because the principle sponsor of the festival, Air Canada, threatened to pull sponsorship. This marks the first time that Losique has listened to his sponsors, most likely due to this year's lack of governmental funds that had allowed him to ignore sponsors' wishes.

The WFF is rival to the Toronto International Film Festival, but has a different focus. The WFF focuses on all sorts of films from all over the world, and features few if any Hollywood flicks.

External Links

• Official Website

Montreal festivals | Film festivals in Canada

World Film Festival | Festival des films du monde de Montréal