#HOTDOCS: HOT DOCS PRESENT CURIOUS MINDS FESTIVAL 2025

Hot Docs is excited to announce the full lineup of events that will make up Curious Minds Festival, taking place at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema this November 6 to 9, 2025. The full event schedule is now available online at hotdocs.ca/curious and tickets and passes are now on sale.

Curious Minds Festival will bring a total of eight dynamic events over the course of four days, covering a breadth of topics and subjects that spotlight stories, voices, issues and ideas that shape our present and challenge us to think deeply about the world we inhabit. Creators, artists, change makers and thought leaders will share their experience and expertise live on stage with inquisitive audiences.

“We’re extremely excited to welcome an incredible lineup of special guests for our Curious Minds Festival this November,” said Diana Sanchez, Executive Director, Hot Docs. “Through our work championing documentary voices and practices, we’re able to share with our audiences a wide scope of issues and perspectives from here at home and around the world. Curious Minds Festival is an excellent extension of this, allowing us to hear from leading experts and inquisitive minds as they engage in provocative conversations live on our stage. We can’t wait to welcome both new and existing audiences to our cinema to take part in this special event.”

Curious Minds Festival Passes and single tickets are now on sale. Visit hotdocs.ca/curious for more information and to purchase today.

Below is the full list of events including dates and times, with all guests announced to date.

AI AM CANADIAN: GETTING REAL ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN CANADA
Whether we notice it or not, artificial intelligence is already part of our daily lives—recommending what to watch, helping screen job applications, curating our news feeds, and even assisting doctors with diagnoses. These systems are quietly shaping how we live, work and connect, becoming increasingly embedded in the routines of Canadians. As AI continues to evolve, how can we better understand the role it plays in our everyday decisions? What opportunities does it create? And what questions should we be asking about transparency, responsibility, and the future of human agency?
Guests:
Daniel Wigdor, Co-Founder and CEO of AXL and Professor, University of Toronto
Shingai Manjengwa, Senior Director, Education and Development, Talent & Ecosystem at Mila Institute
John Weigelt, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Canada
Nora Young, Author, Journalist, Host & Creator of CBC’s Spark (Moderator)

Thursday, November 6, 7:00 PM

MUNK DEBATES: FRIDAY FOCUS – LIVE PODCAST
Catch up on the week’s news as Munk Debates presents a special live recording of Friday Focus podcast, a weekly, half-hours masterclass on current events hosted by founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs Janice Stein, and chair of the Munk Debates Rudyard Griffiths.
Guests:
Janice Stein, Founding Director, Munk School of Global Affairs
Rudyard Griffiths, Chair, Munk Debates

Friday, November 7, 11:00 AM

TIM WU: THE AGE OF EXTRACTION
Tim Wu—the preeminent scholar and former White House official who coined the phrase “net neutrality”—presents his latest book The Age of Extraction. The story starts with the internet of the 1990s and 2000s that promised widespread wealth and democracy, only to create new economic classes and aid the spread of autocracy. As Wu explores the rise of platform power, detailing the risks and rewards of working within such systems, he frames our current moment with lessons from recent history—from generative AI and predictive social data to the antimonopoly and crypto movements—and envisions a future where technological advances can serve the greatest possible good. Concise and hopeful, The Age of Extraction offers consequential proposals for taking back control to achieve a better economic balance and prosperity for all.
Guests:
Tim Wu, Law Professor, Columbia University

Friday, November 7, 7:00 PM

CRIME STORY x FORGED
CBC Crime Story’s Kathleen Goldhar interviews Forged host Adrian Stimson about what is believed to be the biggest art fraud in the world. The late Norval Morriseau, known as the “Picasso of the North,” is one of the most celebrated Indigenous artists in the world but, in recent years, his legacy has been undermined by a systemic and sordid scheme to manufacture fakes. Stimson, an artist from the Siksika Nation, follows a tip from a rockstar art collector and pulls back the curtain on the origin of the Morrisseau fakes. Travelling from Thunder Bay to Australia’s Northern Territory, this riveting true crime story gets increasingly outrageous as it unravels, while never losing sight of the heart of the story—namely, Morrisseau’s staggering artistic genius. This is a conversation for true crime lovers, artist and anyone who cares about the legacy and future of Indigenous lives.
Guests:
Kathleen Goldhar, Host, Crime Story
Adrian Stimson, Artist and Host of Forged

Saturday, November 8, 1:00 PM

WHERE ART MEETS TECH: TORONTO’S VIDEO GAME SCENE
Some of Toronto’s leading video game creators share the inside scoop on the city’s robust video game industry.
Guests:
Navid Khavari, Narrative Director, Ubisoft
Lindsay Rollins, Writer, Programmer, and Character Artist, Rocket Adrift
Kaitlin Tremblay, Writer, Narrative Designer, Soft Rains
Victoria Kucher, Executive Director, Hand Eye Society (Moderator)

Saturday, November 8, 4:15 PM

STILL SINGLE: SCREENING & DISCUSSION
When Chef Masaki Saito became the first of Canada’s chefs to be accorded two Michelin stars, his humorous and brief acceptance speech concluded with “I’m still single. I don’t know why.” A deep-dive into Saito’s world, Still Single is an exploration of his groundbreaking approach to Omakase dining, revealing the intense lifestyle driving his culinary genius. But while the chef’s charisma makes this a delightfully entertaining behind-the-scenes look at a culinary superstar, its juxtaposition with his personal life poignantly highlights that loneliness may be the cost of excellence.
Guests to be announced

Saturday, November 8, 7:30 PM

JESSE WENTE: DANGER EAGLE
It’s bird! It’s a plane! It’s DANGER EAGLE! Award-winning author Jesse Wente joins us for a fun-filled reading of his new children’s book Danger Eagle. This action-packed adventuring featuring a stunt-penguin stuffed animal will delight action movie fans young and old. Look forward to an interactive event with reading, pictures, activities, and fun for the whole family!
Guests:
Jesse Wente, Author and Journalist

Sunday, November 9, 1:00 PM

CHANI NICHOLAS: ASTROLOGY READING & DISCUSSION
Influential Canadian astrologer and activist Chani Nicholas will guide us through an interactive live birth chart reading of filmmaker, actor and producer Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, drawing on astrology, spirituality, and mindfulness in everyday life.
Guests:
Chani Nicholas, Astrologer and Activist
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Writer, Director, Producer and Actor

Sunday, November 9, 4:30 PM
The Curious Minds Festival is supported by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

For more information on Curious Minds Festival, visit hotdocs.ca/curious

#HOTDOCS: HOT DOCS CINEMA ANNOUNCE RETURN OF FESTIVAL FAVOURITES AND CLASSICS

Hot Docs Cinema is excited to announce the return of two festival films alongside several new release and classic documentaries, all joining the growing lineup of exciting films, series and events coming soon to the historic cinema in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood.

The strong lineup of documentaries on offer showcases Hot Docs’ ongoing commitment to providing an immersive, theatrical experience for the world’s finest documentaries of both yesterday and today.

New release docs coming soon include Hot Docs 2025 Rogers Audience Award for Best Canadian Feature winner Endless Cookie (D: Seth Scriver, Peter Scriver | Canada | 97 minutes | 2025), an animated collage of humorous and heartfelt tales exploring the bond between two half-brothers, and 2025 Festival official selection Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore (D: Shoshannah Stern | USA | 98 minutes | 2025), in which Hollywood trailblazer, Oscar winner and activist Marlee Matlin tells her story in full. Joining these festival titles are several new release and classic documentaries, including a special free theatrical exclusive screening of HBO’s Billy Joel: And So It Goes (D: Susan Lacy, Jessica Levin | USA | 294 minutes | 2025), an expansive portrait of the legendary musician that explores the love, loss, and personal struggles behind the songs that have endured generations. A complete list of documentaries added recently to the cinema calendar appear below.

In addition, dates and titles have been added for a number of recurring cinema series. Following this month’s special Mouth Congress live event with Scott Thompson and Paul Bellini on Friday, August 22, the series Truth and Dare will return in September with Girl Internet Show: A Kati Kelli Mixtape (D: Kati Kelli | USA | 79 minutes | 2023), a compilation of the surrealist, cutting-edge videos of Kati Kelli, a Los Angeles-based video artist whose work combines satire of online influencer culture with a grotesque aesthetic reminiscent of Tim and Eric. In October, it’s a Truth and Dare Halloween with the Toronto Premiere of Tinsman Road (D: Robbie Banfitch | USA | 119 minutes | 2025) by Robbie Banfitch (the director of 2022’s breakout indie horror hit The Outwaters), which follows a young man visiting his mother in the backwoods of New Jersey while discreetly documenting the circumstances of his sister’s disappearance years before. New series Pillow Fright! will offer the third installment in its sleepover-themed, creep-tastic series for fellow friendly freaks with a screening of 1999’s remake of The Haunting (D: Jan de Bont | USA | 125 minutes | 1999) featuring late ’90s karaoke, Ouija board sessions, and trick or treating. Fangirl Picture Show is back to show all three Twilight Saga films, one each month from October to December, starting with the original Twilight (D: Catherine Hardwicke | USA | 122 minutes | 2008). Expect costumes, fandom and a theatre full of Twihards.

To view the Hot Docs Cinema calendar, please visit www.hotdocs.ca

All newly announced screenings and events appear below with dates and times. For ticket prices and information, visit http://go.pardot.com/e/463832/whats-on-watch-cinema/lk21c/829409182/h/Cre8nWf03z4j_v5XPmGIF-IjmW3cwD_4XdOQEqUv4Vw

MUST-SEE DOCS

E.1027: EILEEN GRAY: HOUSE BY THE SEA
D: Beatrice Minger | Switzerland | 89 minutes | 2024
A story about the brilliant designer, her masterpiece, the power of female expression—and men’s desire to control it.

Friday, September 26 / 6:30 PM

ENDLESS COOKIE
D: Seth Scriver, Peter Scriver | Canada | 97 minutes | 2025
The winner of the Hot Docs 2025 Rogers Audience Award for Best Canadian Feature returns to Hot Docs Cinema. Conversations between Canadian brothers living half a country apart shape the foundation of a psychedelic collage of animated vignettes.

Saturday, September 6 / 1:15 PM
Sunday, September 14 / 6:30 PM

EXHIBITION ON SCREEN: JOHN SINGER SARGENT – FASHION & SWAGGER
D: David Bickerstaff | UK | 90 minutes | 2024
The glittering world of fashion, scandal and shameless self-promotion made John Singer Sargent the painter who defined an era.

Saturday, September 13 / 1:30 PM
Friday, September 26 / 3:45 PM

FOLKTALES
D: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady | USA | 106 minutes | 2025
From the directors of Jesus Camp comes a story of transformation set against a snowy Scandinavian backdrop.

Sunday, September 28 / 1:00 PM
Saturday, October 4 / 2:30 PM
FOUR WINGS AND A PRAYER
D: Nick de Pencier | Canada | 80 minutes | 2007
A doc about one of the world’s most beautiful and mysterious creatures: the Monarch butterfly.

Sunday, August 31 / 12:30 PM

GEORGIA O’KEEFFE: THE BRIGHTNESS OF LIGHT
D: Paul Wagner | USA | 118 minutes | 2024
A spellbinding, in-depth, and cinematic portrait of the artist known as the “Mother of Modernism.”

Sunday, September 14 / 3:30 PM
Saturday, September 20 / 12:30 PM

GEORGIA O’KEEFFE: THE BRIGHTNESS OF LIGHT
D: Paul Wagner | USA | 118 minutes | 2024
A spellbinding, in-depth, and cinematic portrait of the artist known as the “Mother of Modernism.”

Sunday, September 14 / 3:30 PM
Saturday, September 20 / 12:30 PM

HOMEWORK
D: Abbas Kiarostami | Iran | 86 minutes | 1989
A masterful work of the medium from an icon of Iranian filmmaking, Homework is essential doc viewing.

Friday, September 5 / 6:00 PM

THE LAST CLASS WITH ROBERT REICH
D: Elliot Kirschner | USA | 71 minutes | 2025
Former secretary of labor Robert Reich grapples with his own aging and his students inheriting a world out of balance.

Sunday, September 14 / 1:00 PM
Friday, October 3 / 6:00 PM

MARLEE MATLIN: NOT ALONE ANYMORE
D: Shoshannah Stern | USA | 98 minutes | 2025
Hollywood trailblazer, Oscar winner and activist Marlee Matlin tells her story in full in this Hot Docs Festival 2025 hit. Showing with open captions and audio description.

Sunday, September 21 / 7:30 PM
Saturday, September 27 / 12:30 PM

NAME OF THE GAME
D: William Forbes, Douglas Skinner | USA | 113 minutes | 2023
Go behind-the-scenes of Southern California’s once thriving male exotic industry, uncensored and uncut.

Sunday, September 28 / 7:00 PM

RIEFENSTAHL
D: Andres Veiel | Germany | 115 minutes | 2024
This mesmerizing documentary examines one of the most controversial women of the 20th century.

Sunday, September 7 / 3:15 PM
Saturday, September 13 / 7:00 PM

SPECIAL EVENTS

BILLY JOEL: SO IT GOES
D: Susan Lacy, Jessica Levin | USA | 294 minutes | 2025
Hot Docs invites you to experience Billy Joel: And So It Goes on the big screen in this free theatrical exclusive.

Sunday, September 21 / 12:30 PM

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW: HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA
D: Jim Sharman | UK, USA | 100 minutes | 1975
“Let’s do the Time Warp Again!” Cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show is back for three Halloween season events! Toronto’s own shadow cast, Excited Mental State, will be performing their own satirical, comedic version of the film for audiences. Dress up and “don’t dream it, be it.”

Friday, October 24 / 9:30 PM
Friday, October 31 / 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM

CURATED SERIES

Truth and Dare
GIRL INTERNET SHOW: A KATI KELI MIXTAPE
D: Kati Kelli | USA | 79 minutes | 2023
September’s Truth and Dare brings the surrealist, cutting-edge, cultural satire of Kati Kelli.

Friday, September 26 / 9:00 PM

Truth and Dare
TINSMAN ROAD
D: Robbie Banfitch | USA | 119 minutes | 2025
It’s a Truth and Dare Halloween with the Toronto Premiere of Tinsman Road, one of the year’s best horror offerings!

Sunday, October 26 / 7:00 PM

Pillow Fright!
THE HAUNTING
D: Jan de Bont | USA | 125 minutes | 1999
You’re invited to a sleepover-themed screening of The Haunting (1999) hosted by Pillow Fright!

Saturday, October 25 / 8:00 PM

Fan Girl Picture Show
TWILIGHT
D: Catherine Hardwicke | USA | 122 minutes | 2008
The Twilight Fangirl Picture Show is back and more chaotic than ever! Relive the vampire romance that sparked a generation of fangirls and queer awakenings, screaming in a theatre full of fellow Twihards.

Friday, October 17 / 8:45 PM

Fan Girl Picture Show
NEW MOON
D: Chris Weitz | USA | 130 minutes | 2009
Get ready to howl through the second Twilight installment, New Moon. When Edward and the Cullens peace out of Forks, Bella finds comfort in her newly ripped bestie, Jacob Black.

Friday, November 21 / 8:45 PM

Fan Girl Picture Show
ECLIPSE
D: David Slade | USA | 124 minutes | 2010
Experience the unhinged third Twilight installment, Eclipse, hosted by Fan Girl Picture Show.

Friday, December 12 / 8:45 PM

BACK TO THE BLOOR

AMERICAN GRAFFITI
D: George Lucas | USA | 110 minutes | 1973
Before Star Wars, George Lucas directed this decade-defining coming-of-age classic with an all-star cast.

Sunday, September 28 / 4:00 PM

FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
D: Amy Heckerling | USA | 92 minutes | 1982
Before Clueless, director Amy Heckerling nailed the 80s with this classic comedy and teen movie staple.

Sunday, September 7 / 6:30 PM

FAMILY SCREENING

COCO
D: Lee Unkrich | USA | 107 minutes | 2017
Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos with this tale of family, fun and adventure.

Saturday, November 1 / 1:00 PM

FINDING NEMO
D: Andrew Stanton | USA | 100 minutes | 2003
PD Day at Hot Docs! Follow Marlin and Dory on their epic adventure to bring Nemo home.

Friday, November 14 / 1:00 PM

HOCUS POCUS
D: Kenny Ortega | USA | 96 minutes | 1993
It’s just a bunch of Hocus Pocus! Catch the Halloween classic on the big screen this spooky season.

Sunday, October 12 / 1:00 PM

WALL-E
D: Andrew Stanton | USA | 98 minutes | 2008
PD Day at Hot Docs! Join us for this cosmic comedy adventure about a determined robot named WALL-E.

Friday, September 26 / 1:00 PM

ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS AND EVENTS

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
D: David Frankel | USA | 109 minutes | 2006
Unlike florals for spring, The Devil Wears Prada really is groundbreaking for fashion on film. Pair this film with Happy Clothes: A Film About Patricia Fields.

Saturday, September 6 / 7:00 PM

#HOTDOCS: HOT DOCS ANNOUNCE SALE OF 506 BLOOR STREET WEST

Today, Hot Docs announces that the sale of the Hot Docs Cinema building at 506 Bloor Street West closed on August 6. The terms of the sale include a multi-year lease that allows Hot Docs to continue to operate and program the Cinema year-round. In addition to the stellar slate of must-see documentaries and retro flicks already announced, this fall will see the return of the long-running Doc Soup series, screening monthly from October to April, and the introduction of the Curious Minds Festival, which will take place at the Cinema this November 6 to 9, 2025.

“This sale is an important step in the organization’s ongoing journey toward financial stability,” said Diana Sanchez, Executive Director of Hot Docs. “While we are still recovering and rebuilding, we’re thrilled that Hot Docs Cinema will remain a community hub—bringing audiences outstanding documentaries, familiar favourites, and special events—while continuing to welcome fellow festivals and programming partners.”

The buyer, a long-time Annex neighbour with close ties to the community, has chosen to remain anonymous.

“As a long-time neighbour of Hot Docs Cinema, we know firsthand how integral it is to our community,” stated a spokesperson for the buyer. “It is our goal to support the arts in Toronto and ensure that this building remains a vibrant cultural space in the Annex.”

Dedicated to conversation and community, the Curious Minds Festival will spotlight stories, voices, issues and ideas that shape our present and challenge us to think deeply about the world we inhabit. From November 6 to 9, leading thinkers in their field will bring together creators, change makers and inquisitive audiences to explore the most pressing topics of today. Speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

On October 8, Doc Soup will return for its 25th season. From October to April, the beloved monthly series will continue to showcase documentaries fresh from the festival circuit, followed by lively Q&As with special guests. Subscriptions on sale starting August 19.

To celebrate the Cinema sale, we will be offering a discount on Hot Docs Memberships starting August 19. Members receive discounts on cinema screenings and events, Doc Soup subscriptions and tickets, the new Curious Minds Festival, and the flagship Hot Docs Festival in the spring.

#SPOTTED: MARLEE MATLIN IN TORONTO FOR HOT DOCS ’25 – TORONTO RELEASE PATTERN

Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin needs little introduction. Her stellar body of work in Film and Television spans some 40 years and after acclaim at Sundance, her Shoshannah Stern directed Documentary MARLEE MATLIN: NOT ALONE ANYMORE premiered tonight at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.

The revelatory Film takes an intimate look at some of her success, challenges, and activism. Following the premiere, Matlin and Stern participated in a Q&A with Johanna Schneller.

So thrilled to have met Matlin following the Premiere, and she was so incredibly kind, joking she wasn’t ready for my Video! She wore a sharp green pantsuit which looked incredible!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by William Wong (@mrwillwong)

The Documentary now has a Trailer. See it below:

If you missed the Film at Hot Docs ’25, you are in luck as it now will have a theatrical run at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto. More details here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: “PARADE: QUEER ACTS OF LOVE & RESISTANCE” COMING TO THEATRES MAY 2025

An acclaimed look at activism that sparked the rise of Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ movement, Winnipeg director Noam Gonick and Toronto producer Justine Pimlott’s National Film Board of Canada (NFB) feature documentary Parade: Queer Acts of Love & Resistance begins a national rollout in May.

Over 15 Canadian community and festival screenings are confirmed for Parade, with more cities to come. Pride Month in June will also feature broadcast and online premieres on TVO and NFB platforms.

The film recently opened the Hot Docs film fest, where it was voted a top ten audience favourite.

About Parade

Unflinching, bold, enraging and hopeful, this vital new chapter in the queer canon captures pivotal moments that sparked Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ movement, honouring the activists and elders whose resistance led to the rights we have today.

Through rarely seen archival footage and first-person accounts, audiences are transported to the frontlines of the struggle. From police raids to early drag shows, community organizing to the House of Commons, Parade brings the complex history of the country’s diverse communities to vivid life.

Key milestones illustrate the power of taking it into the streets and underscore how easily the rights we’ve fought for can be revoked, making the documentary essential viewing for all Canadians.

National screening schedule

Dates confirmed so far

May 31 at 11:45 a.m., Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, Toronto – filmmakers in attendance
June 12–15, Queer North Film Festival, Sudbury
June 14 (with panel discussion) and June 21, Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, Toronto
June 22: Streaming premiere across Canada at 9 a.m. EST on TVO Docs YouTube, website and app, and broadcast premiere in Ontario at 9 p.m. EST on TVO
June 26, Hello Film! at the NFB’s Alanis Obomsawin Theatre, French-language screening and panel discussion, Quebec premiere presented in collaboration with Fierté Montréal and image+nation, Montreal
June 27, begins streaming on NFB platforms
June 27, Dixon Hall, Toronto
June 27, Trans Wellness Ontario, Windsor
June 28 at 6:30 p.m., Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg – panel discussion with filmmakers
June 28, pflag Chapter, The Rumpus Room, Owen Sound, Ontario
June 28, Museum London, London, Ontario
July 26 at 2 p.m., Millennium Library, Winnipeg
August 3 at 1 p.m., Richmond Public Library – Brighouse Branch, Richmond, British Columbia
August 5 at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, French-language screening, Montreal
August 5 at 6 p.m., CinéQueer presented by Fierté Montréal and the NFB in collaboration with image+nation at the NFB’s Alanis Obomsawin Theatre, French-language screening, Montreal
August 16–24, Capital Pride, Ottawa
Acclaim for Parade

“Parade is overflowing with intelligence, energy and honesty. At a moment in history when the freedom to love who you want and be who you want to be is in question, this film is unequivocally on the side of the angels. Parade is an absolute triumph.” – Border Crossings Magazine

“There are moments of heartbreak, depression, and sadness, but the film also illustrates how much love and warmth was at the heart of these equality movements. It’s both critical and uplifting at the same time.” – The Gate

“…a call to arms to reach out to and learn from the queer elders who are still with us, and to preserve stories that are gradually disappearing. Parade invites us to see the ghosts, and challenges us not to look away.” – Xtra

#HOTDOCS: “MY MISSING AUNT” REVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore

My Missing Aunt is a powerful Documentary about familial secrets and harmful societal beliefs.

South Korean Filmmaker Juyeon Yang uncovers the erased existence of her aunt, who died by suicide before graduating from college. As she confronts family secrets and dating violence, she exposes generations of patriarchal damage inflicted on women to live as “good daughters.”

My Missing Aunt begins as a deeply personal story of Yang learning she had an aunt. We follow her interviews with her parents to find out who her late aunt was. It isn’t easy to hear the stories Yang includes in her interviews. Her aunt was essentially erased from her family due to being found dead in a man’s home. The worst of it might be the intentional absence of her name on the family gravestone.

It’s through confronting her dark familial secret that Yang exposes societal expectations, norms, and patriarchal damage in South Korean culture. So what begins as a personal story evolves into an exposé of culture and societal beliefs that must be challenged.

Overall, My Missing Aunt is a moving Documentary about honouring those forgotten and ensuring they’re remembered. These women lived and existed, they shouldn’t be erased.

My Missing Aunt screens at Hot Docs ’25:

April 26 at 11:45 AM at TIFF Lightbox 3

April 30 at 10:30 AM at TIFF Lightbox 2

#HOTDOCS: “SHAMED” REVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore

Canadians may remember the catfishing website and YouTube channel from Windsor, Ont.’s Jason Nassr titled Creeper Hunter. Nassr published his program from 2015 to 2020, and it detailed his efforts in catching those he deemed “creepers” (a title he gave to adults he believed were pedophiles due to their communications with minors). Now, fellow Windsorian Matt Gallagher, the well-known documentarian of Prey, examines the show, its creator, and those targeted by him in this daring Documentary.

For those unaware of the full story, in February 2023, a jury found Nassr guilty of extortion and harassment by telecommunications. This was due to the way he found these men he deemed pedophiles. He sent sexually-suggestive messages back and forth with these men and even put on a high-pitched voice when speaking to them on the phone. He was sentenced to 18 months of house arrest and six months with a curfew.

The brilliance of this Documentary is that Gallagher tells a rounded view. He doesn’t only interview Nassr, he speaks to family and friends of a handful of ‘John Does’ who were targeted on Creeper Hunter and in the aftermath, died from sudden causes. In doing so, Gallagher challenges Nassr’s mission with Creeper Hunter.

Even though Nassr felt he was doing the right thing. He believed that these men were intending to harm these “children” they thought they were speaking to. And many of those who watched the show could easily say that even if he got it wrong some of the time, it was worth the risk to get those who were pedophiles.

Yet, Shamed challenges this thought. Gallagher pulls back the curtain on Creeper Hunter by going beyond Nassr. By giving a platform to the loved ones of those targeted and exposing the aftermath of some targets, it allows for minds to change. And that’s the power of a great Documentary.

Shamed screens at Hot Docs ’25:

April 28 at 8:30 PM at Hot Docs Cinema

May 2 at 2:45 PM at TIFF Lightbox 1

#HOTDOCS: “CLIMATE IN THERAPY” REVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore

There are more than 65,000 climate scientists in the world plotting and graphing in painstaking detail how humans are heading in a catastrophic direction. Despite these experts returning increasingly grim results year after year, many have never been asked how they feel about climate change. Director Nathan Grossman invites seven climatologists to a weekend therapy session to hash out their emotions.

We’ve been hearing about the climate crisis statistics for decades now. However, we rarely get a glimpse at scientists who deliver the grim statistics. That’s what makes Climate in Therapy a standout. It humanizes a community often portrayed through data and policy rather than personal experience.

We watch as the climatologists are at first reluctant to expose their inner emotions to each other. But this initial reluctance by the scientist slowly transforms. The Film captures this powerful transformation as the participants move toward openness, and the psychological burden carried by those on the frontlines of the climate crisis is exposed.

Overall, Climate in Crisis is a reminder of the need for emotional honesty and collective support in facing global existential challenges, not unlike COVID.

Climate in Therapy screens at Hot Docs ’25:

April 26 at 4:45 PM at TIFF Lightbox 4

April 28 at 12 PM at TIFF Lightbox 3

#HOTDOCS: “ANTIDOTE” REVIEW

By Amanda Gilmore

In an era of rising geopolitical tensions and shrinking democratic spaces, Antidote serves as both a warning and a call to vigilance for audiences worldwide.

This riveting Documentary follows investigative journalist Christo Grozev, a Co-founder of Bellingcat. Through open-source investigation, Grozev uncovers and exposes the vast network of Russia’s state-employed assassins who are tasked with eliminating political opponents like Alexei Navalny. But due to this, there is a bounty on his head, and spies all over Europe are trying to assassinate him.

Director James Jones unearths the global impact of Putin’s regime and the real human costs borne by activists and journalists. He takes us behind the scenes to see what it means to be a target of Putin’s regime by following individuals who are current targets. It’s a true look behind the headlines that will leave audiences haunted.

Overall, Antidote is an exploration of the Kremlin’s campaign to silence investigative journalism into Russian government corruption and it weaves together personal stories to give a rounded examination.

Antidote screens at Hot Docs ’25:

April 26 at 6 PM at Hot Docs Cinema

April 28 at 10:45 AM at TIFF Lightbox 1

#HOTDOCS: “ALWAYS” TRAILER

Deming Chen‘s ALWAYS will premiere at Hot Docs ’25 and today we get a glimpse of its Trailer.

Gong Youbin was born into a poor Chinese family. He has not seen his mother since he was three months old. Because of a poetry class in school, he embarks on an emotional journey by learning to write poems through his imagination and exploration.

By observing his upbringing in the countryside of Hunan, surrounded by dreams and the harsh realities of his family’s struggles, ALWAYS is an allegory for the loss of innocence, as Gong inevitably has to grow up out of childhood and face reality.

Click here to watch the trailer.

Hot Docs Program: World Showcase
Premiere Status: North American Premiere
Countries: USA, FRANCE, CHINA
Runtime: 84 minutes
Language: Chinese Regional Dialects & Chinese
Subtitles: English

Talent attending Hot Docs: Director Deming Chen, Producer Hansen Lin

ALWAYS Hot Docs Public Screenings:
April 26, 1:45 PM TIFF LIGHTBOX 4
April 29, 5:15 PM TIFF LIGHTBOX 3