Cinéma Urbain is taking a new approach to screening movies in public parks this summer, showing hand-picked films that stray from typical blockbusters and family favourites.

"Expect the unexpected," curator Danny Lennon told CBC Montreal's Daybreak Monday as he discussed plans to screen films with themes ranging from the "dehumanizing conditions" of Syrian refugee construction workers in Lebanon to rampaging zombies in rural Quebec.

"You don't see these films in outdoor screenings," he said.

"Don't bring the kids."

Actually, there are a couple of films on the list that make for family viewing, Lennon clarified, advising parents to look at the film schedule to check for an age-appropriate screening, such as kid-friendly The Big Blue.

The 13th annual edition of the event is held in downtown Montreal's Place de la Paix every Tuesday evening from July 3 to Sept. 4, hosted by the Société des Arts Technologiques (SAT).

Lennon said he checked what other movie-in-the-park organizers were planning in Montreal before nailing down Cinéma Urbain's lineup to avoid any overlap.

"We didn't go into lazy programming," he said. "Every film is chosen, and hopefully you'll enjoy."

Hand-picking films for timeliness, sound

Films range from the 1984 science-fiction epic Dune to Spike Lee's 1989 comedy-drama, Do the Right Thing. They were chosen for a variety of reasons, Lennon explained.

For example, the original Dune was picked to air on July 17 because Quebec filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is working on a new version.

Also, Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing was selected to air on Aug. 7, just a few days before Lee's new film, BlacKkKlansman, hits theatres. Lennon said screening the older film in the days leading up to the new release is "just to get people into the mood."

Tonight, the festival will premiere The Work, a critically acclaimed 2017 documentary about three men on the outside who participate in a four-day group therapy retreat with four convicts inside Folsom Prison.

Cinéma Urbain will screen The Work, an acclaimed 2017 documentary about a therapeutic encounter between men on the outside and Folsom Prison convicts. (Cinéma Urbain/SAT)

However, Lennon said, his choices were largely driven by soundtracks, as he loves to hear the music reverberating through the city.

"You go around the corner, you hear the music," he said. "You hear the music and you're like, 'I know this.' You turn around, and the film is playing,and you're like, 'Oh my God.' You sit down, even if you've seen it a million times."

That passion for sound is what drove Lennon to select films such as Ravenous, a 2017 Quebec-made film by Robin Aubert that this year won the Prix Iris for best soundtrack, picture, director and more.

Summer schedule runs to September

Being in Place de La Paix downtown, just south of Ste-Catherine Street, creates a fantastic experience, Lennon said.

"You're all between big buildings," he said. "The sound just gets into you. It's fun. It's free. And we have a great time."

Guests are invited to spread out a blanket or pull up a lawn chair to enjoy the screenings.

Shows typically start at 9 p.m. and, if it rains, the screening moves inside the SAT building, located next door to Place de la Paix on Saint-Laurent Boulevard.

Here' s a look at the remaining summer schedule: