#HOTDOCS: NEW PROGRAMMING ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR APRIL 2023

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema is pleased to announce its program for the month of April, which includes an exciting selection of premiere titles covering a wide range of topics, from the ground-breaking storytelling of Judy Blume to the dystopian moment experienced in Brazil under the Jair Bolsonaro government. A range of April premieres and special events will feature inspired Q&As that are sure to spark lively conversations, featuring special guest appearances, including Barenaked Ladies’ Tyler Stewart, actor and model Lauren Howe, podcaster Rachel Cairns, Kehkashan Basu of Green Hope Foundation, members of Planned Parenthood Toronto, prominent filmmakers, and more.

Hot Docs Festival returns to the Cinema April 27 to May 7, 2023 celebrating its landmark 30th anniversary and premiering high-profile films that include The Man Who Stole Einstein’s Brain, Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella, Joan Baez I Am Noise, STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie, Love to Love You, Donna Summer and many more.

To view the full April 2023 calendar, visit http://go.pardot.com/e/463832/whats-on-watch-cinema/kdhmb/518843997?h=Lc4gJS4NR_s_hFi33zgDKXEhmTHJ0hc3M_4alpekPqo.

PREMIERES

• A slate of captivating new docs will premiere at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in April, including: Dressed in Blue, a rarely-seen landmark 1983 film that captures the experiences of six transgender women living in Madrid in the years following Spain’s transition to democracy, screening in Toronto for the first time; Young Plato, in which school headmaster Kevin McArevey tries to change the fortunes of an inner-city Irish community plagued by urban decay, sectarian aggression, poverty and drugs; Judy Blume Forever, a stirring portrait of the revolutionary author’s journey from fearful, imaginative child to storytelling pioneer who elevated the physical and emotional lives of kids and teens, to banned writer who continues to fight back against censorship today; and Dry Ground Burning, in which a Brazilian all-female gang from the favelas of Brasilia sells gas on the black market and decides to create a political party to represent the interests of a population abandoned by the Bolsonaro government.
• River, the follow-up film to Jennifer Peedom’s acclaimed documentary Mountain, is a profound cinematic and musical reflection on how rivers have shaped both the planet’s elaborate landscapes and all human existence, created in collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and narrated by Willem Dafoe. Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema will offer select screenings of Mountain to complement the premiere screenings of River.
• Also scheduled for a limited theatrical run at Hot Docs Cinema is Okay! The ASD Band Film, a Hot Docs Festival 2022 audience favourite, which follows the members of The ASD Band, featuring four talented autistic individuals, as they prepare to write their first original album. The April 2, 6:30 PM screening will be introduced by Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies and followed by a live performance by the band and a Q&A moderated by actor and model Lauren Howe.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• April special events include two interactive screenings: Morgan Spurlock’s pop doc One Director: This is Us, hosted by comedy duo Carley Thorne and Meredith Mullen, who will throw it back to the glory days of the 2010s; and Pitch Perfect Sing-Along, an open captioned screening of the 2012 hit musical, where audiences will be encouraged to dance in their seats, sing along to the bopper-filled soundtrack, and experience the unique brand of magic provided by the University of Toronto’s award-winning acapella group Tunes. Beats. Awesome.
• One-night-only special screenings of films with powerful social impact: Citizen of Moria, a harrowing odyssey from the eyes of an Afghani refugee who–after leaving his family behind and escaping from the Taliban–ends up in Europe’s most notorious refugee camp; Green Wave, a thorough documentation of the struggle for legal abortion in South America, presented in partnership with Planned Parenthood Toronto; and Youth Unstoppable, a mighty vision for the future of our planet featuring the new generation of climate activists who will lead us there. All three screenings will be followed by in-depth conversations with experts, activists, and community changemakers.
• On Wednesday, April 19, Hot Docs Cinema invites audiences to two free community screenings in celebration of National Canadian Film Day, screening two classic Canadian docs: Black Ice, an urgent documentary examining the role of Black players in Canadian hockey, from pre-NHL contributions to the game to the struggles against racism that continue to this day; and Come On Children, in which 10 teenagers leave behind parents, school and all other authority figures to live on a rural Ontario farm for 10 weeks.
• Rojek, winner of Hot Docs Festival 2022 DGC Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature Documentary, returns to Hot Docs Cinema on April 16 and 26, combining gorgeous cinematography with incredible access to its subject as it attempts to understand the motivations and lives behind imprisoned ISIS members.
• On April 23: a free memorial screening in honour of beloved Toronto programmer Ravi Srinivasan, a true champion of good storytelling, diverse cinema, and talented filmmakers. Ravi programmed and hosted many films at Hot Docs Festival, but none left a bigger mark on his time at Hot Docs than the documentary film Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.

SERIES

• Family Screenings return in April with a 30-anniversary screening of the 90s family-favourite Free Willy.

HOT DOCS AT HOME

• This April, Hot Docs Members and Hot Docs at Home subscribers can enjoy the new series: 30 Years of Hot Docs: Audience Award Winners, celebrating the films that have captured Festival audiences’ hearts over the past three decades.

Cinema Ticket: $15 (Members tickets from $10) *
*Unless otherwise specified

PREMIERES

Premiere
OKAY! THE ASD BAND FILM
D: Mark Bone | Canada | 86 min | 2022
OKAY! follows the members of The ASD Band as they embark upon the difficult journey of writing an original album. We watch as they learn to navigate a foreign world together, on the way to performing their first public show.

The April 2, 6:30 PM screening will be introduced by Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies and followed by a live performance by the band and a Q&A moderated by actor and model Lauren Howe.

Opens Sunday, April 2

Premiere
DRESSED IN BLUE (VESTIDA DE AZUL)
D: Antonio Giménez Rico | Spain | 98 min | 1983
One of the best trans films you’ve likely never heard of, now lovingly restored in all its glamour, is a loving portrait of a culture finally emerging from the shadows and a vital testament to just how far we’ve come–and how far there’s still left to go.

Presented in partnership with Inside Out.

Opens Thursday, April 6

Premiere
YOUNG PLATO
D: Declan McGrath, Neasa Ní Chianáin | Ireland, Belgium, France | 102 min | 2021
School headmaster Kevin McArevey tries to change the fortunes of an inner-city Irish community plagued by urban decay, sectarian aggression, poverty and drugs.

Join director Neasa Ní Chianáin, producer David Rane and film subject Kevin McArevey for a post-screening Q&A on Friday, April 7.
The April 7 gala screening is presented with generous support from the Consulate General of Ireland, Toronto, as an event to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Opens Friday, April 7

Premiere
RIVER
D: Jennifer Peedom | Australia | 75 min | 2021
The follow-up film to Jennifer Peedom’s documentary Mountain. Created in collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and narrated by Willem Dafoe, River is a profound cinematic and musical reflection on how rivers have shaped both the planet’s elaborate landscapes and all human existence.

Opens Friday, April 14
*Only pay for one ticket to see both River and Mountain

Premiere
JUDY BLUME FOREVER
D: Davina Pardo, Leah Wolchock | USA | 97 min | 2023
Catch the Toronto premiere of this stirring documentary from Emmy-winning filmmakers Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok. Trace Blume’s journey from fearful, imaginative child to storytelling pioneer who elevated the physical and emotional lives of kids and teens, to banned writer who continues to fight back against censorship today.

Opens Saturday, April 15

Premiere
DRY GROUND BURNING
D: Joana Pimenta, Adirley Queirós | Brazil | 153 min | 2022
An electrifying portrait of Brazil’s dystopian contemporary moment that blends documentary with narrative fiction and genre elements, Dry Ground Burning reunites filmmakers Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós (Once There Was Brasilia) to offer a unique vision of the country’s possible future.

Opens Friday, April 23

SERIES & SPECIAL EVENTS

Special Event
ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US – WATCH-ALONG
D: Morgan Spurlock| USA, UK | 135 min | 2013
Calling all Directioners! Relive your glory days with comedy duo Carley Thorne and Meredith Mullen at an interactive screening of One Direction: This Is Us.

Saturday, April 8 / 9:00 PM
*8:30 PM: Doors / 9:00 PM: Showtime
*Tickets: $18 (Members: $15)

Special Event
CITIZEN OF MORIA
D: Ahmad Ebrahimi, Jawad Mir | Canada, Greece | 75 min | 2022
When Ahmad’s life comes under threat by the Taliban in Afghanistan, he leaves his family behind for survival, without saying goodbye, and ends up in Europe’s worst Refugee Detention Camp, Moria.

Join directors Jawad Mir and Ahmad Ebrahimi (Zoom) for a post-screening Q&A, moderated by Hot Docs programmer Aisha Jamal.

Sunday, April 9 / 1:45 PM
*Free for members

Special Event
PITCH PERFECT SING-ALONG
D: Jason Moore | USA | 142 min | 2012
Sing along to the unforgettable soundtrack, dance in your seat, and enjoy a special guest performance from the University of Toronto’s own award-winning acapella group Tunes. Beats. Awesome.
This is open captioned screening for accessibility and sing-along needs.

Saturday, April 15 / 9:00 PM
*Free for members

Special Event
ROJEK
D: Zaynê Akyol | Canada | 128 min | 2022
Combining gorgeous cinematography with incredible access to its subjects, Rojek attempts to understand the motivations and lives behind imprisoned ISIS members, asking: how does one become radicalized?
Winner – Hot Docs Festival 2022 DGC Special Jury Prize

Featuring a pre-recorded Q&A with filmmaker Zaynê Akyol.

Sunday, April 16 / 2:30 PM
Wednesday, April 26 / 6:30 PM
*Free for members

Special Screening
MOUNTAIN
D: Jennifer Peedom | Australia | 74 min | 2017
A unique cinematic and musical collaboration: an epic odyssey through the Earth’s most awesome landscapes, showing the spellbinding force of high places – and their ongoing power to shape our lives and our dreams.

Monday, April 17 / 4:00 PM
Friday, April 21 / 6:15 PM
*Only pay for one ticket to see both River and Mountain

Special Event
GREEN WAVE (MAREA VERDE)
D: Angel Giovanni Hoyos | Argentina, Colombia | 75 min | 2021
The struggle for legal abortion in South America has a history behind it, a road traveled with sacrifice, militancy and politics. Green Wave makes this struggle visible with its protagonists and referents following them in marches, vigils, interviews and unpublished archive material.

Followed by a panel discussion featuring: Marea Verde director, Angel Giovanni Hoyos; Rachel Cairns, Toronto-based actor, writer, and creator of Aborsh, a podcast about abortion in Canada; Amrita Kumar-Ratta (she/her), social researcher, storyteller, community curator, educator and founder of Shades of Brown Girl; Dr. Rabea Parpia, family physician at Planned Parenthood Toronto specializing in reproductive health and trauma-informed care; Planned Parenthood Executive Director, Mohini Datta-Ray; Staff experts from Planned Parenthood Toronto, and more.

Presented in partnership with Planned Parenthood Toronto.

Tuesday, April 18 / 6:30 PM

National Canadian Film Day
COME ON CHILDREN
D: Allan King | Canada | 95 min | 1973
In the early 1970s, 10 teenagers (five boys and five girls, including Toronto rock band Rush’s Alex Lifeson) leave behind parents, school and all other authority figures to live on a rural Ontario farm for 10 weeks.

Wednesday, April 19 / 11:30 AM
*Free event

National Canadian Film Day
BLACK ICE
D: Hubert Davis | Canada | 97 min | 2022
This incisive, urgent documentary examines the role of Black players in Canadian hockey, from pre-NHL contributions to the game to the struggles against racism that continue to this day. Directed by Oscar nominee Hubert Davis and executive produced by LeBron James, Drake and Maverick Carter, Black Ice is a sobering survey of systemic marginalization within one of the world’s most beloved team sports.

Wednesday, April 19 / 2:15 PM
*Free event

Family Screening
FREE WILLY
D: Simon Wincer | USA | 112 min | 1993
“A 12-year-old street kid. A 3-ton orca whale. A friendship you could never imagine. An adventure you’ll never forget.” The tagline says it all when it comes to this family classic, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

Saturday, April 22 / 2:30 PM
*Tickets: $15 ($7.50 for 12 and under)
*Free for members

Special Event
YOUTH UNSTOPPABLE
D: Slater Jewel-Kemker | Canada | 86 min | 2018
From flood ravaged villages in Nepal to the Alberta Tar Sands to the riots in Copenhagen, Youth Unstoppable shows a powerful vision for the future of our planet and the youth who will lead us there.

A panel discussion moderated by Kehkashan Basu (Green Hope Foundation)and featuring activist Abrar Anwar, who appears in the film, as well as activists from Fridays for Future TO, will follow the film.

Saturday, April 22 / 5:30 PM
*Tickets: $15 ($7.50 for 12 and under)
*Free for members

Special Event
MEMORIAL SCREENING FOR RAVI SRINIVASAN: MATANGI/MAYA/M.I.A.
D: Steve Loveridge | UK, USA, Sri Lanka | 95 min | 2018
On January 14th, 2023, Hot Docs’ friend and colleague Ravi Srinivasan passed away suddenly. This free screening is in honour and remembrance of him and his time with us here at Hot Docs as an associate programmer. During his time at Hot Docs, we came to know Ravi as someone who championed good storytelling, diverse cinema and above all, talented filmmakers. Ravi programmed and hosted many films at the Festival, but none left a bigger mark on his time at Hot Docs than the documentary film Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.

Sunday, April 23 / 6:15 PM
*Free event

HOT DOCS AT HOME
Free for Hot Docs members and subscribers at hotdocs.ca

Hot Docs at Home Premiere
BECOMING A QUEEN
D: Chris Strikes ǀ Canada ǀ 2021 ǀ 90 mins
Follow Toronto’s nine-time Queen of Carnival, Joella Crichton, as she prepares to compete for a historic tenth crown in a joyful celebration of family and Toronto’s Caribbean community. Pair your viewing with an exclusive Q&A with director Chris Strikes in conversation with the Queen of Carnival herself, Joella Crichton.

30 Years of Hot Docs: Audience Award Winners
TRANSFORMER
D: Michael Del Monte ǀ 2017 ǀ 78 mins
When former US Marine and world record weightlifter, Janae Kroc, is publicly outed as transgender, she is rejected from her sport and from her family. In an intimate portrait, Janae must navigate her new role in society while reconciling her love of bodybuilding and strength with being a woman.

30 Years of Hot Docs: Audience Award Winners
FIRST WE EAT
D: Suzanne Crocker ǀ 2020 ǀ 100 mins
In a celebration of community and the bounty of local food, filmmaker Suzanne Crocker puts food security to the test and eliminates all grocery store foods from her house. For one year, she feeds her family only food that can be hunted, fished, gathered, grown or raised around Dawson City, Yukon. Add three skeptical teenagers, one reluctant husband, no salt, no caffeine, no sugar and -40 temperatures.

30 Years of Hot Docs: Audience Award Winners
SOMEONE LIKE ME
D: Sean Horlor, Steve J Adams ǀ 2021 ǀ 80 mins
Follow the parallel journeys of Drake, a gay asylum seeker from Uganda, and a group of strangers from Vancouver’s queer community who are tasked with supporting his resettlement in Canada. Together, they embark on a year-long quest for personal freedom, revealing how in a world where one must constantly fight for the right to exist, survival itself becomes a victory.

30 Years of Hot Docs: Audience Award Winners
FANNY THE RIGHT TO ROCK
D: Bobbi Jo Hart ǀ 2021 ǀ 96 mins
Uncover the story of a Filipina American garage band that morphed into the ferocious rock group Fanny, who almost became the female Beatles.