Montreal film production lab to shut down, sparking calls from filmmakers for it to be saved
One of Canada's pre-eminent post-production companies is closing a Quebec facility that houses one of North America's only laboratories capable of developing film for professional productions.
Patrick Jutras, president of Montreal's MELS studio, confirmed the news in a statement to CBC. Citing both the lack of "sufficiently competitive tax incentives" to entice foreign productions to the city, and a declining investment in local audiovisual production, Jutras said the company's photochemical lab will shut its doors in the coming months.
While MELS itself will not close, Jutras said the studio is relocating and consolidating certain post-production services to meet market demands and remain profitable. As a result, both the photochemical laboratory and a projection room will be shuttered while the rest of their associated post-production output will be moved to a new location.
"MELS recognizes the attachment many artisans have to these facilities, particularly the analog film laboratory, the only one of its kind in Canada," Jutras said in a statement to CBC, originally provided in French.
"The call to action to save the struggling local audiovisual sector must be met by a rapid governmental response in order to prevent Quebec's expertise in this area from continuing to erode."
Digital vs. filmAs much of the film industry has moved to digital production techniques, MELS photochemical lab has become one of the few options for filmmakers seeking to work with, and develop, 16 millimetre and 35 millimetre film for widespread release.
According to Concordia film professor Michael Yaroshevsky, MELS' facility is one of only three "full service" development labs in the continent — meaning able to handle 6,100 metres of film a day — with the other two being in L.A. and Atlanta.
That capacity has allowed them to aid production of various films, from the Nicolas Cage-led Dream Scenario to Matthew Rankin's Universal Language, Xavier Dolan's Mommy and a host of Quebec-made movies that have made a mark on the worldwide circuit.
In response to news of the closure, Yaroshevsky launched a petition calling for the photochemical studio to be saved. Standing at 2,577 signatures as of Friday afternoon, Yaroshevsky said saving the photochemical laboratory is a critical issue for many local filmmakers.
"There is no question that digital technology dominates the market, and digital cinema is a legitimate and valuable form. But film remains alive and well in Montreal and elsewhere," he said in a statement.
"Students want to learn and create on celluloid. It must remain available to them as a medium in which cinema can be made. We are not against the future. We are against an impoverished one."
MELS is a subsidiary of telecommunications company Quebecor, which also runs the TVA Group, Freedom Mobile and Vidéotron. Quebecor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Though traditionally the powerhouse of the Canadian movie industry, French language Canadian films took a recent nosedive at the box office.
According to data from Telefilm Canada, French language Canadian films fell to $11.3 million in 2025, a decline of 45.5 per cent from 2024.
Overall, homegrown film performance saw a significant dip of 39.8 per cent after two strong recovery years. Telefilm Canada recently told the Canadian Press the dip was the result of volatile theatrical markets and a uniquely strong performance in 2024, not a crisis of quality.
Earlier this week, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette announced a $609.6 million investment over five years to implement the 2026–2031 Quebec Audiovisual Strategy, with the aim of ensuring the industry's sustainability and vitality.
The strategy is in response to the rise of artificial intelligence and digital platforms, which are transforming consumer habits in addition to production and distribution models.
cbc.ca
