Analogue was king at Montreal beer and photography festival

Bières et caméras’ F/ilm Festival was a vibrant meeting point for film photography lovers

Fringe ArtsAndréas Fleury — Published October 7, 2025 0 minutes

The festival was organized by Bières et caméras, a community of photographers in Montreal.

If one word could be used to describe the evening, it would be conviviality. Participants swapped camera tips, compared gear and captured spontaneous portraits. This openness and welcoming atmosphere is precisely what Francis Belmont, organizer and founder of Bières et caméras, strives for.

“You might think everyone who comes is a professional photographer, but that’s not the case,” he said. “If you’re at all interested in photography, even if you only take pictures with your phone, you can take beautiful photos.”

Among longtime members and newcomers, connections formed naturally. Within minutes, people were chatting, laughing and sharing shots. Music played softly in the background as conversations and camera shutters filled the space. 

On the first day of the festival, a photo swap encouraged participants to connect through their work. Each person brought two prints to trade at random, then tried to find the photographer behind each image. 

These exchanges quickly sparked discussions: “Where did this photo come from?” and “Which camera did you use?” A simple way to forge connections, whether you’re experienced or a beginner.

Beyond technique, participants shared a common vision of photography bringing everyone together. 

“For me, photography is like a diary,” said Rithy Lord-Nhes, a member of Bières et caméras. 

On a technical level, he explained, film forces you to slow down.

“You control every detail,” Lord-Nhes said. “You take your time.”

François Sibold, a long-time Studio Argentique client and member of photography club Le 3e Œil, agreed, noting his attraction to analogue.

“With film, you move away from the hyper-perfection of digital,” Sibold said. “Being able to retake a photo endlessly makes you lose the sense of the image.” 

When Belmont launched Bière et caméras in September 2023, he wanted to bring together two passions: beer and photography.The idea was inspired by a trend from the United States, but was new to Montreal. Belmont wanted to bring people back into social spaces and to create an environment where conversations could flow as easily as the beer. 

A brewer by trade, Belmont envisioned a casual, offline community where photographers could exchange tips and connect beyond online spaces. And despite the name, you don’t need to be a beer drinker to join; it’s about sharing a passion for photography in a relaxed, welcoming setting.

His philosophy is simple: keep things accessible and local.

“We want to make events as free as possible, so everyone can join,” Belmont said.

True to his local approach, Belmont ensures every event takes place in a microbrewery, aligning with his local-first mindset. 

“I want to keep it Québécois,” he said.

On day two of the festival on Oct. 4, over bánh mì sandwiches and local beer at WILLS brewery—a typical Mile End spot with an open-garage vibe and a small terrace—conversations picked up steam. Even those who came alone quickly found themselves drawn into discussions.

The afternoon lectures highlighted a range of approaches and perspectives. Jean-François Lamoureux opened with a presentation on pinhole photography, a technique that returns to the essence of the craft by using a tiny hole instead of a lens to capture an image.

Then, photographer Gaëlle Leroyer offered a behind-the-scenes look at her artistic process. Roland Clairvoyant demonstrated his approach to photo retouching, revealing how he plays with colour and light.

To close, photographer Elizabeth Landry discussed the relationship between film photography and her artistic work, offering a broad perspective on the many ways photographers interact with the medium. 

“People often say that film forces you to slow down compared to digital,” Clairvoyant said. “Sometimes, we forget to enjoy the moment.”

For Clairvoyant, slowing down gives each photograph more weight, with film’s grain and texture adding a depth that’s hard to replicate digitally. 

At 5 p.m., the photowalk began in collaboration with Photowalk Montréal and Lumina Photo MTL. Around 40 enthusiasts wandered the streets of Mile End with cameras in hand.

Between helping one another, sharing advice and swapping gear, everyone saw something different and captured a unique photo. It became a shared and welcoming moment between people from all walks of life—from locals to members of the Argentique Mauricie photo community from Trois-Rivières, and even some from Quebec City.

Above all, Bière et caméras is an open, welcoming space for learning, sharing and enjoying photography—whether you shoot analogue or digital. The same spirit shaped the F/ilm Festival, where participants were united by one idea: slowing down.

“When you develop a roll of film,” Clairvoyant said, “you have time to forget the shot before rediscovering it.”

The community continues beyond the festival through monthly photowalks and an annual camera flea market, where photography enthusiasts buy and sell analogue gear and film equipment. 

“You don’t need to be an expert to join,” Belmont said. “In three weeks, you can learn to use a film camera and fall in love with it.”