#HOTDOCS: ADDITIONAL 2025 HOT DOCS SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS ANNOUNCED

Hot Docs announced today a slate of seven additional films to screen at the 2025 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival as part of the Special Presentations program, exhibiting a selection of high-profile Canadian and international feature-length documentary premieres. Hot Docs Festival returns to Toronto from April 24 to May 4.

Making its International Premiere, Come See Me in the Good Light follows spoken word artist and poet laureate of Colorado Andrea Gibson after an incurable cancer diagnosis. Alongside their partner and fellow poet Megan Falley, Gibson embarks on a poignant journey filled with humour and love, culminating in a final career-defining performance. Also making its International Premiere is Selena y Los Dinos, a riveting look at the life and legacy of the “Queen of Tejano Music” Selena Quintanilla. Featuring exquisite family archives and intimate testimonies, the film charts the rise of this iconic superstar who broke barriers for women in the genre.

Canadian Premieres include 2000 Meters to Andriivka, the latest from Academy Award–winning filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov (20 Days in Mariupol). This harrowing and immersive documentary follows a Ukrainian platoon as they navigate a heavily fortified forest to liberate the strategic village of Andriivka. Assembly sees interdisciplinary artist Rashaad Newsome turn documentarian, capturing his groundbreaking 2022 exhibition that transformed a historic military facility into a queer, Afro-futurist utopia. Heightened Scrutiny follows ACLU attorney Chase Strangio as he takes on an uphill battle for trans rights, preparing to become the first openly trans person to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Dating Game delves into the consequences of China’s one-child policy, as three men, faced with a skewed gender ratio, enroll in a controversial dating boot camp that promises romantic success through deception. Spreadsheet Champions spotlights six talented students from around the world as they compete in the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship—the ultimate test of spreadsheet mastery, where a win could be life-changing.

The full selection of films to screen at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2025 will be announced at a press conference on March 25. Ticket packages are now on sale online. Ticket package redemption and single ticket sales for Hot Docs members are available starting March 25. Single ticket sales open to the public on April 1.  

Descriptions for films in the Special Presentations program appear below. In many cases, filmmakers will be in attendance for post-screening discussions. For more information on the program visit http://go.pardot.com/e/463832/ot-docs-festival-announcements/lcp1f/776304639/h/v7x9SxFvfBXjMpvoRUTcmNrOxK9FsDSM45y6L24dYU8.

Film stills of Special Presentation titles are available at http://go.pardot.com/e/463832/y3p8zknz/lcp1j/776304639/h/v7x9SxFvfBXjMpvoRUTcmNrOxK9FsDSM45y6L24dYU8.

Hot Docs 2025 Special Presentations include:

2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA
D: Mstyslav Chernov | P: Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson-Rath | Ukraine | 2025 | 106 min | Canadian Premiere
From the Academy Award–winning director of 20 Days in Mariupol comes an immersive and harrowing look at a Ukrainian platoon on the front lines of the war as they traverse a heavily fortified forest to liberate the strategic village of Andriivka.

ASSEMBLY
D: Rashaad Newsome, Johnny Symons | P: Rashaad Newsome, Johnny Symons | USA | 2025 | 99 min | Canadian Premiere
Interdisciplinary artist Rashaad Newsome adds “documentarian” to his extensive CV with this dazzling record of his titular 2022 exhibition, a multisensory extravaganza that summons a cast of global performers to transform a historic military facility into a queer, Afro-futurist utopia.

COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT
D: Ryan White | P: Jessica Hargrave, Ryan White, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen | USA | 2025 | 104 min | International Premiere
After receiving an incurable cancer diagnosis, spoken word artist and poet laureate of Colorado Andrea Gibson, alongside their partner and fellow poet Megan Falley, embarks on a poignant journey filled with humour and love that culminates in a final career-defining performance.

THE DATING GAME
D: Violet Du Feng | P: Violet Du Feng, Joanna Natasegara, James Costa, Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas | USA, UK, Norway | 2025 | 86 min | Canadian Premiere
In China, where men vastly outnumber women, three desperate bachelors join a controversial dating boot camp promising romantic success through deception. Their journey exposes the harsh realities of modern dating in a post-one-child-policy world.

HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY
D: Sam Feder | P: Amy Scholder, Sam Feder, Paola Mendoza | USA | 2025 | 85 min | Canadian Premiere
As assaults on trans rights sweep across America, ACLU attorney Chase Strangio must fight legal battles and public opinion pitched against his community as he prepares to be the first openly trans person to argue in front of the Supreme Court.

SELENA Y LOS DINOS
D: Isabel Castro | P: Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, J. Daniel Torres, David Blackman, Simran Singh | USA | 2025 | 106 min | International Premiere
Dubbed the “Queen of Tejano Music,” Selena Quintanilla was an iconic superstar whose voice continues to resonate across generations. Exquisite family archives and intimate testimonies chart the rise of this vocal powerhouse who broke down barriers for women in the genre.

SPREADSHEET CHAMPIONS
D: Kristina Kraskov | P: Anna Charalambous, Charlotte Wheaton, Nick Batzias | Australia | 2025 | 86 min | Canadian Premiere
Six students from around the world show off their impressive spreadsheet skills as they excel in the hyper-competitive Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship—the most challenging and prestigious Excel competition—where a win could change their life.

Hot Docs (www.hotdocs.ca), North America’s leading documentary festival, conference and market, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing and celebrating the art of documentary and to creating production opportunities for documentary filmmakers. Hot Docs will present its 32nd annual edition from April 24 to May 4, 2025, in cinemas across Toronto. Hot Docs will also mount a dynamic series of knowledge sessions, networking opportunities and market programs for documentary practitioners and industry delegates, including the renowned Hot Docs Deal Maker and Works-in-Progress screenings. Year-round, Hot Docs supports the Canadian and international industry with professional development programs and a multi-million-dollar film fund portfolio, and fosters education through documentaries with its popular free program Docs For Schools. Hot Docs owns and programs the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, a century-old landmark located in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood and the world’s first and largest documentary cinema.

Starting Tuesday, March 25, Festival ticket package holders, including Doc Soup subscribers, can redeem their ticket packages, and Hot Docs Members can purchase single tickets. Starting Tuesday, April 1, single tickets will be available to the public. Tickets and ticket packages can be purchased and/or redeemed online at www.hotdocs.ca or in person at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema Box Office, located at 506 Bloor Street West (hours vary daily in accordance with cinema screenings). Single tickets are $20 to regular Festival screenings and $23 to Special Presentations screenings ($18-$20 members). Special events vary in price. A Festival 12-Pack is $209 and a Festival 20-Pack is $299. Hot Docs offers free tickets for all screenings before 4:00 p.m. to seniors and students with valid photo I.D., available online the day of the screening, subject to availability.