by MATTHEW HAYS

Ezra Soiferman and Val Lonergan always knew one thing was true of filmmaker types. People in the business love to talk shop, whether it be war stories, upcoming projects, dreams of glory or good old-fashioned gossip.

And they also knew that it seemed there was nowhere for film-minded people to connect in Montreal. So, in January of last year, they set about to change all that, co-founding the Montreal Film Group, a non-profit group that works to bring people in the field together.

What began as an informal drinking session, composed of about a dozen of their friends, soon ballooned when they launched their Web site (http://montrealfilmgroup.com), and the number now tops 800. The premise is simple: create a series of events throughout the year, notify your e-mailing list and let the networking begin.

“We’ve been really overwhelmed by the response,” says Lonergan, a former director of development at Seville Pictures who is herself a filmmaker. “Clearly, people had a need for this kind of thing.”

Events vary from casual gatherings over beer to dinners to panel discussions and even pitch sessions, where hopefuls can hock their ideas to professionals. “People have e-mailed us later to say that they managed to get a deal off the ground or managed to option a good script due to the connections they made at one of our events. That’s been very gratifying.”

“I’ve always liked the idea of bringing people together,” says Soiferman, also a filmmaker. “And it’s especially important in this business, where meeting up with like-minded creative people is simply imperative to moving ahead.”

The 2007 roster will include a bring-your-own-shorts night, in which filmmakers (from amateur to professional) will be invited to bring their short films to screen for the crowd. And MFG organizers promise more panel discussions and schmoozefests, all with the aim of enhancing the sense of a Montreal film community.

“We welcome anyone interested in film and TV,” says Lonergan. “The group includes everyone from film students to seasoned industry veterans.”