#FIRSTLOOK: “CITZEN MINUTES 2” SHORTS SERIES COMING SCREENINGS ACROSS CANADA

Hot Docs is proud to announce the confirmed dates for the five-market free community theatrical initiative, Docs for Schools, and the broadcast premiere of its short doc collection Citizen Minutes. The second series of shorts highlights ordinary Canadians doing extraordinary things to make their communities better places. From Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week to noise pollution in Toronto, from the first all-female Muslim softball league to a rapper addressing mental health issues, the second series of Citizen Minutes will inform and entertain. Each free screening will be followed by an audience Q&A with the goal of inspiring collaborative dialogue about civic engagement and the many forms it can take.

“We are incredibly proud to introduce this essential series of short docs crafted by visionary filmmakers to audiences across Canada,” shared Marie Nelson, Hot Docs’ President. “These compelling films urge us to champion positive change within our communities and remind us of the remarkable influence that individuals have in shaping our world. I am invigorated by these vibrant, youth-driven stories that poignantly reflect life’s hardships—yet radiate with hope—and hope that others will be too.” 

Theatrical Dates

October 16th – Rio Theatre, Vancouver, BC, 6:30 pm – Host Angela Steritt

October 25th – Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, Toronto, ON, 6:30 pm – CBC Host Ismaila Alfa and a special guest performance by Akitone.

November 9th – Calgary Central Library, Calgary, AB, 6:30 pm – CBC Host Angela Knight

November 27th – Cinema Du Musée – Montreal, QC, 6:30 pm – CBC Daybreak Host Sean Henry 

November 27th – Halifax Central Library, Halifax, NS, 6:30 pm  – CBC Host Preston Mulligan and a special guest performance by comedian Janelle Niles.

DOCS FOR SCHOOLS

Citizen Minutes will also be made available for free screenings online and for grade 5-12 students across the country through the Docs for Schools program. Each of the films will come with a unique education package with discussion questions, resources and activities to support extended learning about the issues addressed in the film. All education packages will be made available in English and French.

Last year, Docs for Schools brought films to over 150,000 students in 98 school boards across Canada.

The second series of Citizen Minutes features the following titles:

ANCESTRAL THREADS

Directed by: Sean Stiller

Joleen Mitton, a Néhiyaw woman and the founder of Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week (VIFW), shows how she builds community using fashion, as she works to undo years of trauma–in herself and others.
 

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

Directed by: Cat Mills

A couple of activists try to put the mute button on Noise Pollution in Toronto.

JANELLE NILES: INCONVENIENT

Directed by: Kelly Zemnickis, Cass Gardiner

Despite a tumultuous upbringing that would break most, Janelle Niles confronts being Black and Mi’kmaw head-on, embracing her biracial experience and two-spirit identity, while using stand-up to heal and usher in a new era of inclusive Canadian comedy.
 

LOUD & HERE

Directed by: Josiane Blanc

Teen youth activist collective La Voix des Jeunes Compte try to make meaningful change to school board policy across Quebec.

MIND CHECK 1-2 1-2

Directed by: Ian Keteku

A viral rapper uses his voice to uplift young people struggling with mental health.

RISING FROM THE ASHES

Directed by: Sara Ben-Saud

A portrait of the Dépanneur Sylvestre, an atypical place that aims to break down isolation for members of the displaced Gatineau community.
 

SISTERHOOD SOFTBALL

Directed by: Farhiya Ahmed

The first all-female Muslim softball league in North America empowers women through sports in a community where women traditionally don’t take part.