by MATTHEW HAYS

Despite Bowling for Columbine's Oscar, despite the massive recent wave of popularity for reality TV, most documentary filmmakers will tell you they don't get any respect. Distribution is still tricky, and getting a TV broadcast license invariably means meeting the content restrictions of the suits who run the idiot box.

That's why Montreal's documentary festival, now in its sixth year, has proven such a crucial showcase for local documentarians, as well as an important gander into the international milieu of nonfiction filmmaking. This year's anthology of docs includes some new works along with an homage or two. The opening film is Roger Toupin, Epicier Variété, Benoit Pilon's loving ode to a man who, for more than a quarter century, has run a small Plateau grocery shop. A touching look at a way of life that's rapidly ending as Montreal real estate continues to go through the roof. (The film will be shown in its original French version with English subtitles.) Jonathan Demme, the Oscar-winning filmmaker best known for his dramatic work, delves into documentary with The Agronomist, a profile of Jean Dominique, a courageous man who fought for civil liberties in his native Haiti. Sadly, Dominique was murdered by opponents when he returned to Haiti in 2000; no one was ever brought to justice for the assassination. Screenings of this film sold out immediately at the Toronto International Film Fest in September. (The Agronomist will screen in its original English version with French subtitles.)

There will be three tribute sections of the festival, showcasing the works of British filmmaker Kim Longinotto (Divorce Iranian Style, Dream Girls, Runaway), journalist/filmmaker Patrick Chauvel (48h à Ramallah, Kamikaze 47) and Serge Lalou (head of the Paris-based Les Films d'Ici, which produced Récréation and Si bleu, si calme).

As the U.S. and Great Britain continue their occupation of Iraq, the RIDM will continue to screen documentaries about war and its consequences. Several docs examine Chile 30 years after Pinochet's bloody coup, including Marilu Mallet's La Cueca Sola (which profiles five Chilean women who survived the coup to become pro-democracy activists), Paula Rodriquez's Les Enfants de Pinochet and Armand Mattelart and Chris Marker's La Spirale. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be a focus, with seven films exploring the fight, including The Settlers, a look at a new and remote settlement in the occupied territories and an effort by the filmmaker to try to figure out what the motivations of the inhabitants are.

On a lighter note, Montreal filmmaker Garry Beitel will premiere his NFB-produced look at Montreal's strong tradition of political cartooning in Y'a rien de sacré, a dual profile of The Gazette's Terry Mosher (aka Aislin) and La Presse's Serge Chapeleau.

The sixth edition of the RIDM opens this Friday, Nov. 14 and screens until Nov. 23. Info: 705-0501 or www.ridm.qc.ca

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