MONTREAL — Identity and immigration are the big topics at the 11th edition of the doc fest Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal, which is set to screen 100 films from Canada and around the world.

From RIDM’s opening film No London Today (France), a doc by Delphine Deloget about the lives of illegal immigrants waiting to cross from Calais, France to England, to Au loin des villages (France/Switzerland), about refugees in Darfour, filmmakers across the globe are examining the plight of refugees and immigrants struggling to either get to or survive in foreign lands.

‘The plight of the displaced seems to be a planetary preoccupation,’ RIDM’s director general Marie-Anne Raulet told Playback Daily.

English-Canadian and Quebec docs at the fest also touch on similar themes, including the deployment of young Latino-Americans to Iraq in Une mort insensée by Raymonde Provencher, the separation of families living in North and South Korea in Tiger Spirit (Min Sook Lee), and the relationship between immigrants and their gardens in Un jardin sous les lignes by Bruno Baillargeon.

Both Raulet and programmer André Paquet want to change what they believe is the widespread perception that documentaries can be dull by bringing thought-provoking works to the fest. ‘Most of our audience is less than 35 years old. They want to see hard-hitting, provocative work,’ says Raulet.

As well as screening a number of international and Canadian films, the EcoCamera section is dedicated to environmental issues and will screen films such as Black Wave: l’héritage de l’Exxon Valdez (Black Wave: The Legacy of Exxon Valdez) and Lacs — sous la surface (Lakes — Under the Surface) a look at the blue-green algae that has invaded Quebec lakes in the past few years.

RIDM runs Nov. 13-23.