Montreal's MELS Photochemical Lab Closure Threatens Analog Film Production

MELS, a prominent post-production facility in Montreal, is set to shut down its photochemical lab, which is one of only three comprehensive film development labs in North America. President Patrick Jutras pointed to a lack of adequate tax incentives and decreasing local investments as contributing factors. This lab, which has the capacity to process 6,100 meters of film each day, has been instrumental in the production of films such as Dream Scenario, Universal Language, and Mommy. In response, Concordia film professor Michael Yaroshevsky initiated a petition that garnered over 2,500 signatures to preserve it. MELS, a subsidiary of Quebecor, will move other operations. Additionally, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette revealed a $609.6 million investment for the 2026–2031 Quebec Audiovisual Strategy, aimed at addressing shifts in AI and digital media. French-language Canadian films saw a significant drop to $11.3 million in 2025, marking a 45.5% decrease from the previous year.