From October 22 to 24, the Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC) welcomed to Montréal nearly fifteen international decision-makers and several hundred industry professionals for the 360 Audiovisual Entertainment Week. Organized with the support of both institutional and private partners, the event showcased Quebec’s expertise, creativity, and capacity for innovation in scripted and unscripted production, postproduction, animation, and visual effects.
Over three days, a rich program brought together professional exchanges, panels, screenings, business networking sessions, and studio visits. Among the forty or so initiatives featured, several standout moments defined the week.
Under the banner of CAFÉ VFX, an initiative of the QFTC that promotes Quebec’s expertise in animation and visual effects, two major events marked the week: the panel “The Future of Innovative Visual Storytelling in Quebec,” which explored the intersections of artificial intelligence, real-time rendering, and virtual production; and the joint presentation by Framestore and Cinesite, presented by the National Bank of Canada, which offered an exclusive look behind the scenes of The Smurfs and How to Train Your Dragon, highlighting how animation and visual effects can be harmoniously integrated in large-scale productions.
A spectacular presentation of Quebec’s most iconic filming locations, which have hosted major films and television series over the past decade, was also offered in collaboration with the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC), the City of Montréal, municipal and regional film offices, as well as several location managers and production designers.
For the first time, a panel organized with ACTRA and several casting agencies highlighted the expertise of Quebec’s on-screen talent, including actors and stunt performers. In addition, music held a prominent place this year with apresentation of Quebec’s music services, organized in collaboration with APEM, SOCAN, and SPACQ. This initiative showcased the talent of Quebec creators and the opportunities for collaboration between the music community and audiovisual producers.
The business networking session, presented by Investissement Québec International, facilitated targeted meetings between international decision-makers and local companies, while the special screening of the series The Last Frontier, in collaboration with Apple TV+, showcased the quality of Quebec’s production expertise. Finally, studio visits and on-site meetings illustrated the complementarity of local infrastructures and the vitality of Quebec’s audiovisual ecosystem.
“The 360 Week embodies the vitality and creativity of our ecosystem. It demonstrates Quebec’s ability to unite around a shared ambition: to showcase our creativity and expertise, and to strengthen our position as an essential partner on the global audiovisual stage.” — Stéphane Cardin, President and CEO, Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC)
With a contribution of $3.3 billion to GDP, $2.5 billion in direct spending, and over 57,000 direct and indirect jobs,the audiovisual industry stands as a major economic and cultural driver for the province. The 360 Audiovisual Entertainment Week exemplified this dynamic: by bringing together international decision-makers and Quebec industry leaders, it fostered collaboration, stimulated investment, strengthened local value chains, and reinforced Quebec’s position among the world’s most recognized and respected audiovisual hubs.
This edition brought together representatives from Amazon MGM Studios, AMC Networks, A Smith & Co Productions, Blue Zoo Animation Studio, Blumhouse, CBS-Paramount-Skydance, Disney Television Studios,Endemol Shine North America, and Story Kitchen, who came to connect with key players from Quebec’s audiovisual industry.
The QFTC thanks its funding partners — Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy, SODEC, and the City of Montréal — as well as its Ambassador Partners — Cinesite, difuze, Grandé Studios, Hybride Ubisoft, KOTV, MELS, Miller Thomson, and Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton — and its Event Partners — Autodesk, the National Bank of Canada, Barnstorm VFX, Framestore, INIS, Investissement Québec International (IQI), Le Gault, MELS, and Montréal International — for their essential support.
THE 360 WEEK IN PICTURES
Credit : Aurélien Petit (Cosmos Image)
