Montreal Cultural Calendar

Originally from Rouyn-Noranda, Zach Zoya grew up at the crossroads of South African rhythms and North American soul and pop sounds, shaping a rich and eclectic musical identity.
The first English-speaking artist signed to the French-language label 7ième Ciel Records, he quickly gained attention with his EP Spectrum, critically acclaimed and nominated for several awards, including the ADISQ. His EP No Love Is Ever Wasted (2022) has accumulated millions of streams and includes the radio hits Start Over and Upper Hand.
In 2023, he received multiple awards, including at the Gala Dynastie and from the SOCAN Foundation. His sound has since evolved toward a blend of R&B, melodic rap, and alternative pop, notably on his EP It’s Always Sunny in Glendale (2024), inspired by his life experience in California.
He is now working on Misstape 2, a new collaboration with Montreal producer High Klassified, following their first project Misstape (2018), which marked the beginning of his career.

Show Girls

Meilan Lam and Robert Paquin,
1998, 52 minutes
Show Girls
celebrates Montreal's swinging Black jazz scene from the 1920s to the 1960s, when the city was wide open. Three women who danced in the legendary Black clubs of the day - Rockhead's Paradise, The Terminal, Café St. Michel - share their unforgettable memories of life at the centre of one of the world's hottest jazz spots. From the Roaring Twenties, through the Second World War and on into the golden era of clubs in the fifties and sixities, Show Girls chronicles the lives of Bernice, Tina and Olga - mixing their memories with rarely seen footage of the era. Their stories are told against a backdrop of the fascinating social and political history that made Montreal a jazz and nightclub hotspot for decades. It is a story of song and dance, music and pride. 
English version only.
First part:
Oscar
Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre, 2016, 12 minutes
Mixing animated sequences and archival footage, Oscar is a touching portrait of virtuoso pianist Oscar Peterson at the twilight of an exceptional career, as he wistfully meditates on the price of fame and the impacts of the artist’s life on family life.
From the young prodigy’s beginnings in Little Burgundy to his triumphs on the international scene, this animated documentary by Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre explores the profound solitude of an artist constantly on tour. Set to the tunes of Peterson’s sometimes catchy, sometimes melancholy-tinged compositions, the film tells a heartfelt story about a life in jazz.