#FIRSTLOOK: “THIS ABOVE ALL: THE THEATRICAL LIFE OF ANTONI CIMOLINO” PREMIERING AT HOT DOCS 2026

Melbar Entertainment Group is pleased to announce that THIS ABOVE ALL: THE THEATRICAL LIFE OF ANTONI CIMOLINO will make its world premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival on Monday, April 27, 2026 at 7:45pm at the TIFF Lightbox, with a repeat screening Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 11:15am.

Directed by Barry Avrich and produced by Mark Selby, the documentary follows Antoni Cimolino as he prepares for his final season leading the Stratford Festival after nearly four decades with the company. With candid access and reflections from artists and collaborators from across the Canadian theatre community, THIS ABOVE ALL offers a rare and compelling look behind the scenes of one of the country’s most celebrated cultural institutions, and the man whose life has become deeply intertwined with it.

At once a portrait, a backstage chronicle and a celebration of Canadian artistry, the film traces Cimolino’s journey from young actor to acclaimed director and Artistic Director, capturing the passion, pressure, ambition and heart that have shaped his remarkable career.

“From the moment my mother introduced me to the Stratford Festival when I was just nine years old, I was captivated by its magic and sheer luminescent power,” said director Barry Avrich. “Antoni Cimolino is an unequalled master class in how to run an extraordinary, globally renowned theatre company while ensuring its Canadian identity remains protected.”      

“When you spend your life in the theatre storytelling, you never imagine being the story yourself,” said Antoni Cimolino. “I am both humbled by the notion of having my life documented and at the same time, so proud to have contributed to an enormously talented landscape of Canadian artists that became my world, my life and my work.”

Following its world premiere at Hot Docs, THIS ABOVE ALL: THE THEATRICAL LIFE OF ANTONI CIMOLINO is scheduled to air on documentary Channel on Sunday, August 30 at 9pm ET/PT. A CBC Gem release will follow on Friday, September 18.

Produced by Melbar Entertainment Group, THIS ABOVE ALL: THE THEATRICAL LIFE OF ANTONI CIMOLINO was produced with the participation of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, Ontario Creates and Rogers Documentary Fund, and in association with documentary Channel. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager of Entertainment, Factual and Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director of Unscripted Content; and Sandra Kleinfeld is Senior Director, Documentary.

#HOTDOCS: FULL 2026 FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING LINEUP

The highly anticipated Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival returns to Toronto for its 33rd edition April 23 to May 3, 2026, sharing the finest in global non-fiction storytelling. From 2820 film submissions, this year’s slate will present 115 documentaries representing 51 countries across nine diverse programs and will feature 52 world and international premieres. Furthermore, alongside the premieres of remarkable Canadian and international documentaries, the 2026 Festival will offer an extensive lineup of industry programs and events, including the return of the popular Hot Docs Forum international industry pitch event.

“Documentary filmmaking offers a way to engage more deeply with the world around us—through stories that are thoughtful, complex and deeply human,” said Diana Sanchez, Executive Director of Hot Docs. “This year’s Hot Docs Festival celebrates documentary filmmaking through 115 globe-spanning films, connecting this important work to audiences and bringing us together in ways that deepen our understanding of the world we share.”

This year’s lineup of 80 features and 35 shorts will share stories of humanity’s struggles, courage, and ambition, as well as the increasingly evolving world of technology. A total of 30 Canadian films will screen as official selections, and 14 films received support from Hot Docs’ film funds and market programs, including the Hot Docs Forum and Deal Maker. Hot Docs will welcome several filmmakers and guests to the Festival to participate in post-screening Q&As.

The 2026 Hot Docs Festival will open with the world premiere of Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions, directed by Canadian filmmaker Michelle Mama, on Thursday, April 23 at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. The Canadian film spotlights queer rock icon Carole Pope as she reclaims her rightful place in music history and received funding in 2023 from the Hot Docs-Slaight Family Fund to support the project in its development stage.

The Big Ideas series will once again spark insightful conversations with notable guests, including Love Apptually director Shalini Kantayya, Myspace director Tommy Avallone, A War on Women director Raha Shirazi, and Steal This Story, Please! director Tia Lessin.

The Special Presentations program, showcasing high-profile films, festival circuit heavy hitters, and renowned subjects, includes the world premieres of director Shalini Kantayya’s Love Apptually, about a journalist’s exploration of dating app algorithms; director Dori Berinstein’s Kenny Loggins: Conviction of the Heart, which traces the life and career of the multi-award-winning singer-songwriter who soundtracked some of Hollywood’s most unforgettable movie moments; director Tommy Avallone’s Myspace, a portrait of the pioneering social networking platform; director Mark Myers’s The Tower That Built a City, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Toronto’s skyline-defining CN Tower; and director Raha Shirazi’s A War on Women, which traces 40 years of feminist resistance by Iranian women against the Islamic Republic.

Canadian Spectrum Competition, a competitive program showcasing bold new works by Canadian directors, includes the world premieres of director Sébastien Trahan’s Code of Misconduct, in which an investigative journalist’s duty to follow the facts leads to the trial of five Canadian professional hockey players charged with sexual assault; Ryan Ermacora and Jessica Johnson’s Concrete Turned to Sand, in which local oyster farmers ply their trade amidst a rapidly changing environment; Ree Wright and Meaghan Wright’s The Last Days of April, the courageous journey of a determined disabled advocate living with a tethered spinal cord and chronic pain; director Rico King’s Nekai Walks, in which Nekai Foster defies all medical odds and relearns to walk after being shot while walking home in Toronto’s Jane and Finch neighbourhood; Oscar-nominated director Kim Nguyen’s Saigon Story: Two Shootings in the Forest Kingdom, which reveals the elusive connection between two families and photojournalist Eddie Adams’s iconic photo in the wake of the Vietnam War; and Evan Adams and Eileen Francis’s təm kʷaθ nan Namesake, in which a request from the Tla’amin Nation to change the name of Powell River, B.C ignites a heated debate about whose history is told and respected. The Canadian Spectrum Competition is sponsored by DGC National and DGC Ontario.

International Spectrum Competition, a competitive program spotlighting engaging stories from around the globe, includes a compelling lineup of world premieres: The 49th Year directed by Heidrun Holzfeind tells the story of an anarchist incarcerated since 1980 as he reflects on his radical past; A Distant Call directed by Andrea Suwito captures a rare, meditative struggle between local tradition and modern faith in a remote Indonesian community with ancient traditions; LandStone directed by Faraz Fadaian takes viewers into the Iranian desert where an elderly man and his wife face mortality and fading bonds while seeking solace in a handmade cave; Parasisi directed by Zaïde Bil and Sébastien Segers traces how mining, missionaries and medicine ripple through daily life along the Lawa River; Stories for Sandro directed by Giacomo Boeri brings to life the memories of the filmmaker’s father after he is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s; Vanishing Tracks directed by Hamed Zolfaghari follows a family in Iran’s remote nomadic landscape as they navigate their traditional existence in a modern world, and Vegapolis directed by Micha Barban Dangerfield brings audiences inside a Montpellier rink where teens gather each week, forging friendships, dissecting crushes and dreaming amidst laser lights and thumping bass. The International Spectrum Competition program is supported by the Donner Canadian Foundation.

The World Showcase program features revelatory stories that span the globe, including the world premieres of Simon Ennis and Brad Abrahams’s Gimme Truth, which follows truth-seekers and ex-believers into the gravitational pull of conspiracy culture; Jevan Crittenden and Nate Slaco’s In Tyee Country, in which a century-old fishing club on Canada’s west coast faces an existential crisis as salmon populations dwindle; and Alisher Balfanbayev’s Searching for Drug Peace, in which a daring activist risks everything to fund a non-profit drug testing centre and provide life-saving harm reduction amidst a deadly overdose crisis in Vancouver.

Made In Brazil will showcase new documentaries from Brazil including the world premiere of Solar Shadow from directors Hugo Haddad and Isadora Canela, a beautiful exploration of ancestral Indigenous astronomy in Brazil, and the international premiere of Dona Onete – This Tiny Piece of My Heart from director Mini Kerti, a colour-filled and spirit-lifting portrait of singer and composer Dona Onete who, in her seventies, emerged as Brazil’s “Queen of Carimbó.”

Persister amplifies the voices of strong, inspirational women who are speaking up and being heard, including the world premieres of director Nance Ackerman’s The Delivery Line, which brings into sharp focus the gravity of the extraordinary and lifesaving work of fearless midwives who risk everything to help mothers in dangerous circumstances, and director Katia Café-Fébrissy INDIVISUM: Legacies Adrift, in which a Canadian filmmaker returns to her ancestral home of Guadeloupe to discover families torn apart over land inheritance.

The new Digital Witnesses program features stories of tech and surveillance and includes the international premieres of Ghost in the Machine by director Valerie Veatch, an interrogation of who builds AI, who benefits from it and who bears the cost of a technology that continues to surround us, and Virtual Girlfriends by director Barbora Chalupová, in which three women—navigating careers as sexual-content creators on OnlyFans—reveal the tantalizing, transactional and ultimately fragile dynamics of digital intimacy.

Artscapes features creative minds, artistic pursuits and inventive filmmaking, and includes the world premiere of This Above All: The Theatrical Life of Antoni Cimolino from director Barry Avrich, in which the longest serving Artistic Director of the iconic Stratford Festival, Antoni Cimolino, prepares for his final season while reflecting on the 40 years he’s devoted to the theatrical repertory company. Receiving its international premiere is Gealtra from director Brendan Canty, in which teenagers on the north side of Cork grow from shy beginners into viral sensations as they write and perform infectious Irish-language rap. Artscapes is supported by the Kololian Family.

Hot Docs will present a selection of 35 Canadian and international short films from 21 countries across various programs and as part of the Festival’s four curated Shorts Programs.

The festival will close with a free encore screening where the winner of this year’s Rogers Audience Award for Best Canadian Documentary will be announced. The winner will receive a $50,000 cash prize courtesy of Rogers.

For a complete list of 2026 Hot Docs Festival films, download the Festival Media Kit at hotdocs.ca/news/media

For more information on Hot Docs, visit hotdocs.ca

Hot Docs (hotdocs.ca) is North America’s leading documentary festival, conference and market. 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 33rd annual edition in Toronto from April 23 to May 3, 2026. 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 Forum and Hot Docs Deal Maker. Since its inception in 1993, Hot Docs has supported the Canadian and international industry with professional development programs, production fund portfolio, and valuable professional development programs. The organization fosters education through documentaries with its popular free program Docs For Schools. Hot Docs also operates 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 24, Festival ticket package holders, including Doc Soup subscribers, can use their ticket packages, and Hot Docs Members can purchase single tickets. Starting Tuesday, March 31, single tickets will be available to the public. Tickets and ticket packages can be purchased and used 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 $22 ($20 member) for regular screenings, and $27 ($24 member) for Opening Night and Big Ideas screenings. A Festival 12-Pack is $228 and a Festival 20-Pack is $340 ($216 and $320 members). Hot Docs offers free tickets for regular screenings before 4:00 p.m. to patrons 60+ and students with valid photo I.D., available in-person at the venue on the day of the screening, subject to availability.

Hot Docs is proud to include Rogers as its Founding Partner and Telefilm Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the Canada Media Fund as its Major Supporters.

#HOTDOCS: BIG IDEAS PROGRAM RETURNING TO HOT DOCS 2026

Hot Docs announced today that the popular long-running series Big Ideas will return as part of the 2026 Hot Docs Festival, taking place April 23 to May 3, 2026 in Toronto. Celebrating its 13th year, Big Ideas gives audiences a rare opportunity to experience the premieres of four thought-provoking documentaries immediately followed by a dynamic, in-depth conversation with the filmmakers and subjects who brought these incredible stories to the big screen.
 
The 2026 Big Ideas series will see the world premieres of two new films exploring the ways we seek to build our personal lives online. In Emmy-nominated director Shalini Kantayya’s Love Apptually, we swipe right on a journalist’s exploration of dating app algorithms, and we sink into early aughts nostalgia to catch up with everyone’s old friend Tom in Myspace, Tommy Avallone’s portrait of the pioneering social networking platform. Receiving its North American premiere is Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Raha Shirazi’s A War on Women, which traces 40 years of feminist resistance by Iranian women against the Islamic Republic, and receiving a Canadian premiere is Steal This Story, Please! from Oscar-nominated filmmakers Carl Deal and Tia Lessin (Trouble the Water), a gripping portrait of Democracy Now! trailblazer Amy Goodman, whose unwavering commitment to truth-telling spans three decades of turbulent history.

Filmmakers from each of these films as well as subject Amy Goodman will be in attendance at this year’s Festival to take part in Big Ideas live on stage.

“Big Ideas events are one of the ways Hot Docs brings documentary storytelling directly into conversation with the world around us,” said Diana Sanchez, Executive Director, Hot Docs. “These screenings invite audiences to experience the film and then continue the conversation live – with filmmakers, journalists and experts – about the issues shaping our world today. We’re honoured to welcome Amy Goodman and these filmmakers for what will be a thoughtful and engaging discussion.”

The films will each receive their premiere at the Festival as part of Big Ideas. Three will receive additional screenings throughout the Festival as part of the Special Presentations program, with the fourth screening as part of a yet to be announced themed program. Guests participating in Big Ideas are included below, with moderators to be announced over the coming weeks.

LOVE APPTUALLY
D: Shalini Kantayya | P: Elizabeth Woodward | USA, Australia | 2026 | 81 min | World Premiere
Tired of swiping without results? Follow one journalist’s quest to unpack the dating app algorithms shaping modern romance as she reveals how, in an already lonely world, technology, bias and profit are increasingly influencing who we meet and why.

Filmmaker and Hot Docs alum Shalini Kantayya (Coded Bias; TikTok, Boom) discusses her latest deep dive into the world of technology, this time focusing on Tinder. Love Apptually explores the unknown structures behind big tech and the algorithms that both lift and restrict the users attempting to find love in the digital age.

MYSPACE
D: Tommy Avallone | P: Van Toffler, Trent Johnson | USA | 2025 | 96 min | World Premiere
What is the legacy of Myspace? Pulling at the heartstrings of millennials and curious newcomers alike, this nostalgic portrait traces how this pioneering social networking platform shaped the digital world we now inhabit, from online fame to social media overload.

Join director Tommy Avallone for a conversation about Myspace, the pioneering social media site that became a cultural phenomenon for casual users and upcoming artists alike, and how it set the stage for the social media landscape that we know today.

STEAL THIS STORY, PLEASE!
D: Carl Deal, Tia Lessin | P: Carl Deal, Tia Lessin, Karen Ranucci, Diana Cohn, Caren Spruch | USA | 2026 | 102 min | Canadian Premiere
Fiercely independent journalist Amy Goodman has spent three decades holding the powerful to account, reporting from conflict zones and the Democracy Now! newsroom as an essential voice highlighting global issues and pursuing truth in an era of “alternative” facts.

Journalist Amy Goodman joins Oscar-nominated filmmaker Tia Lessin for a conversation about the importance of independent journalism in a world where media representatives can often be stifled and how those still fighting shine a spotlight on the stories that need to be told.

A WAR ON WOMEN
D: Raha Shirazi | P: Marco Serrecchia, Marica Stocchi, Beatrice Bordone Bulgari, Gianluca Curti, Daniele Occhipinti, Luca Bradamante | Italy | 2026 | 102 min | North American Premiere
Long before the world chanted “Woman, Life, Freedom,” Iranian women have been rising up. Intimate interviews and archival footage trace 40 years of feminist resistance against the Islamic Republic, culminating in a revolution led by the very women the regime tried to silence.

Join director Raha Shirazi for an exploration of women’s rights in Iran, from decades of resistance and activism to the recent rally cry of “Woman, Life, Freedom,” and how A War on Women spotlights well-known members of the community to reframe the global conversation around how these women are changing history.

New this year, Big Ideas Cocktails will take place before each Big Ideas event. These receptions offer audiences the opportunity to gather and connect before the screening. Tickets are $50 per person and must be purchased in addition to a ticket for the same-day Big Ideas screening.

Film stills of Big Ideas titles are available at tinyurl.com/HD2026SP1

For more information on Hot Docs, visit hotdocs.ca

Hot Docs (hotdocs.ca) is North America’s leading documentary festival, conference and market. 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 33rd annual edition in Toronto from April 23 to May 3, 2026. 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 Forum and Hot Docs Deal Maker. Since its inception in 1993, Hot Docs has supported the Canadian and international industry with professional development programs, production fund portfolio, and valuable professional development programs. The organization fosters education through documentaries with its popular free program Docs For Schools. Hot Docs also operates 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 24, Festival ticket package holders, including Doc Soup subscribers, can use their ticket packages, and Hot Docs Members can purchase single tickets. Starting Tuesday, March 31, 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 $22 ($20 member) for regular screenings, and $27 ($24 member) for Big Ideas screenings. A Festival 12-Pack is $228 and a Festival 20-Pack is $340 ($216 and $320 members). Hot Docs offers free tickets for regular screenings before 4:00 p.m. to patrons 60+ and students with valid photo I.D., available online the day of the screening, subject to availability.

Hot Docs is proud to include Rogers as its Founding Partner and Telefilm Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the Canada Media Fund as its Major Supporters.

#FIRSTLOOK: AUTHOR E. LOCKHART TO APPEAR HOT DOCS CINEMA

WE WERE LIARS author E. Lockhart will appear at Hot Docs Cinema on Feb 4, 2026 at 7pm. Tickets here.

Lockhart will be discussing her new book, We Fell Apart, her razor‑sharp new novel filled with family secrets, seaside mysteries, and the lies we tell to survive. The story follows Matilda, whose unexpected invitation to Hidden Beach a crumbling sanctuary of strangers claiming to be kin forces her to confront the truth about the father she’s never met and the past that’s been kept from her. It’s Lockhart at her most atmospheric: twisty, intimate, and impossible to shake.

During this event, Lockhart will explore the making of the novel, the allure of unreliable narrators, and the complex bonds that shape us. She’ll be joined on stage by acclaimed author Nita Prose for a conversation filled with tension, revelations, and the kind of storytelling only Lockhart can deliver.

A book signing will follow the discussion. Copies of We Fell Apart will be available both online when purchasing your ticket and in person at the event.

#HOTDOCS: HOT DOCS FEBRUARY 2026 PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS

Hot Docs Cinema has released its lineup of programming for February, offering a breadth of new release and classic titles that showcase the best in documentary filmmaking and storytelling from Canada and around the world. Highlights of February’s programming include the return of popular free screening series For Viola, the launch of new series Midtown Matinees, Oscar nominees, screenings celebrating history-making lives and legacies, and films that dig deep into compelling stories and subjects.

One of Hot Docs Cinema’s most popular series, For Viola returns on Wednesday, February 25, at 6:30 PM, with a free screening of Khartoum (D: Ibrahim Snoopy Ahmad, Timeea Mohamed Ahmed, Rawia Alhag, Philip Cox & Anas Saeed), winner of the Hot Docs Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary at the 2025 Hot Docs Festival. Five stories from Sudan weave together in search of freedom through animated dreams, street revolutions and a war from the metropolis of Khartoum to escape in East Africa. Named in honour of Canadian civil rights icon Viola Desmond, For Viola centres Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC)-led stories and filmmakers, with screenings offered free of charge. For more information on For Viola, visit hotdocs.ca/whats-on/cinema-series/for-viola

Hot Docs is excited to launch a new series celebrating Hollywood’s Golden Age and our cinema’s historic legacy. Named in recognition of 506 Bloor Street West’s enduring history as a neighbourhood cinema, Midtown Matinees harks back to the years 1941-1966, when the iconic Midtown Theatre offered a state-of-the-art movie going experience that beckoned Torontonians from across the city. The series launches on Sunday, February 15 at 3:30 PM with an afternoon screening of one of cinema’s most celebrated releases of all time, Michael Curtiz’s 1942 classic Casablanca. A monthly series, Midtown Matinees highlights iconic movies and movie stars the way they were meant to be seen: on our glorious big screen. Join us for an afternoon at the picture palace!

In addition to these two series, two Oscar nominated documentaries that premiered at Hot Docs Festival 2025 and were voted as top ten audience favourites will return for screenings in advance of this year’s Academy Awards.

Winner of the Hot Docs Festival 2025 Audience Award and nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards, Ryan White’s Come See Me in the Good Light is one of the most celebrated and well-reviewed documentaries of the past year. 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 film screens on Friday, February 27 at 6:30 PM.

Also nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards and a top ten audience favourite from Hot Docs Festival 2025, Mohammadreza Eyni and Sara Khaki’s Cutting Through Rocks took home the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. When Sara Shahverdi becomes the first woman elected to office in her remote Iranian village, the pressure of the role becomes a weighted reality. Cutting Through Rocks was a 2020 recipient of the Hot Docs CrossCurrents International Doc Fund and participated in the 2020 Hot Docs Forum. The film screens on Sunday, March 1 at 6:30 PM.

Hot Docs Cinema welcomes several special guests in attendance for screenings and events at the cinema in February.

On Wednesday, February 4 at 7:00 PM, writer E.Lockhart arrives at Hot Docs Cinema to unveil We Fell Apart, a razor-sharp story of family secrets, seaside mysteries, and the lies we tell to survive, as part of the Author Talks series.

On Saturday, February 7 at 7:00 PM, producer/director Peter Thurling and producer Joan Schafer will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion following the Canadian premiere of their film Rubin Hurricane Carter: Forever a Fighter, about the legendary Black fighter who overcame his life sentence as a triple murderer and freed others wrongly convicted.

On Saturday, February 21 at 7:00 PM, director Lisa Rideout will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion following Degrassi: Whatever It Takes, which goes behind-the-scenes of the Degrassi franchise, celebrating the legacy of a show that made teens everywhere feel seen.

On Saturday, February 22 at 6:30 PM, director Jereme Watt will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion following Everest Dark, in which a famed Nepalese mountaineer risks everything to bring home a fallen climber’s body.

On Thursday, February 26 at 6:30 PM, film subject Fred Isseks will be in attendance for a post-screening discussion following a screening of Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss’s Teenage Wasteland. In 1991 in Upstate New York, a group of teenage misfits, inspired by a renegade English teacher, embark on a student film project and uncover a vast conspiracy that is poisoning the ground beneath their feet. The film will also screen earlier in the day as part of Hot Docs Docs For Schools program, a series of free programs to help educators and students engage with current issues, raise critical questions, and interact with new perspectives.

Additional programming highlights for February include Runa Simi (D: Augusto Zegarra), screening as part of the Doc Soup monthly series, in which a Peruvian voice actor tries to persuade Disney to dub The Lion King into Quechua, hoping to save his native language; The King of Color (D: Patrick Creadon), the story of 96-year-old Lawrence Herbert, visionary behind the revolutionary Pantone Matching System; My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow (D: Julia Loktev), in which independent journalists struggle to counter Russian propaganda in Moscow during week one of the Ukraine invasion; Sketches of Frank Gehry (D: Sydney Pollack), screening in memory of the late Toronto-born architect; Holding Liat (D: Brandon Kramer), in which—in the weeks after his daughter is kidnapped—a father resists efforts to use her captivity to justify escalating violence in Gaza; True North (D: Michèle Stephenson), which shares the pivotal 1960s Montreal events that impacted the global movement for Black liberation (screening will include a virtual Q&A with the filmmaker); and A Band Called Death (D: Mark Christopher Covino, Jeff Howlett), the second installment in our new monthly series Jukedocs curated by Niko Stratis, which tells the story of three Detroit brothers, sons of a preacher, who formed an all-Black punk rock band called Death.

The above films join the full line-up of screenings and events taking place at Hot Docs Cinema.

For more of what’s on at Hot Docs Cinema, visit hotdocs.ca/whats-on/watch-cinema

Operated by Hot Docs, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing and celebrating the art of documentary, Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema is the world’s largest documentary cinema. A historic, century-old landmark located in Toronto’s vibrant Annex neighbourhood, the Cinema is a year-round home for non-fiction film and storytelling, presenting first-run international and Canadian documentaries, curated film and speakers series, signature events including Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, as well as hosting for some of the city’s premier festivals and events.

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 33rd Hot Docs Festival April 23 to May 3, 2026, in Toronto. Festival Packages are now on sale at hotdocs.ca. Since its inception in 1993, Hot Docs has supported the Canadian and international industry with professional development programs and production fund portfolio, including the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund, CrossCurrents Doc Funds, Hot Docs-Slaight Family Fund, Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund and Hot Docs Partners, and valuable professional development programs, including Doc Ignite and Hot Docs Incubator.

#FIRSTLOOK: FESTIVE FAVOURITES AT HOT DOCS CINEMA 2025

Hot Docs is celebrating the season with a selection of Festive Favourites screenings throughout December at Hot Docs Cinema, with tickets for one beloved title being offered for free and tickets to others starting as low as $7.50. Get your fill of holiday cheer all month long with screenings of Die Hard, Home Alone, Meet Me in St. Louis, and The Muppet Christmas Carol. Plus, close out your year with our annual Dude’s New Year screening of The Big Lebowski.

An addition to the lineup of new release and must-see documentaries screening at Hot Docs Cinema in December, Festive Favourites will offer audiences a cinematic holiday escape and a chance to gather with friends and family in-person for the time-honoured tradition of taking in a Christmas classic on the big screen. Tickets to Die Hard, Meet Me in St. Louis, and The Muppet Christmas Carol are just $7.50 and available for purchase now.

As part of the Festive Favourites programming, Turtles® is hosting a special complimentary screening of Home Alone at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto. The event takes place on Friday, December 19, at 8:30 pm, and the community is invited to enjoy a shared moment of holiday joy. Trade your streaming session for a cinema seat to watch the classic film, complete with complimentary popcorn and Turtles® signature treats. Free tickets are now available to book online.

Join us for the triumphant return of one of our most hallowed and wildest cinema traditions: the annual Dude’s New Year event featuring The Big Lebowski, on Wednesday, December 31, at 7:00 pm. Gather with fellow “Little Achievers” to get your celebrations started in style: in a bathrobe, sunglasses, and with White Russians and bowling! A night of absurdity and raucous fun, it’ll give even the nihilists something to believe in.

For a full list of Festive Favourites titles and screening times, and to purchase tickets, visit hotdocs.ca/whats-on/cinema-series/festive-favourites

Hot Docs is also excited to offer a number of holiday gift ideas for the doc lovers in your life. Give the gift of Hot Docs with a gift certificate or gift card, available in any amount and good for tickets to both Hot Docs Cinema and the 2026 Hot Docs Festival, as well as memberships, concessions and merchandise.

Perfect for documentary lovers, a 2026 Festival 12- and 20-package can be used for tickets to Hot Docs Festival screenings, and packages holders get early access to select their films can share tickets with family and friends. Or give the gift that lasts all year – A Hot Docs Membership. Member benefits include free special events, discounted tickets and more year-round at the Cinema, as well as discounts and advance booking windows on premium events including Hot Docs Festival.

Consider making a donation to Hot Docs as part of your holiday giving. Your donation is critical to our mission to bring outstanding documentaries from around the world and to support the outspoken storytellers who make them.

You can also visit in person at Hot Docs Cinema to check out our selection of books and merchandise, including new “cinema” sign t-shirts and totes, featuring a screenprint of one of the iconic cinema signs that adorn the Hot Docs Cinema lobby – a nod to cinema’s history and a great gift for any cinema lover.

For all the gift ideas on offer from Hot Docs, visit hotdocs.ca/holidays

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN PASSES TO A SCREENING OF “LILITH FAIR: BUILDING A MYSTERY” AT HOT DOCS TED ROGERS CINEMA

First Generation Films x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win passes to a screening of tiff50 selection, LILITH FAIR: BUILDING A MYSTERY. Screenings take place in Toronto November 15 and 22, 2025.

Following its celebrated premiere at TIFF, its national debut on CBC, and overwhelming audience demand, the film will have a limited theatrical run across Canada this November, supported by Telefilm Canada.

Directed by Ally Pankiw (I Used To Be Funny) and produced by White Horse Pictures, Dan Levy’s Not a Real Production Company, and First Generation Films, the documentary offers an intimate look behind Sarah McLachlan’s groundbreaking all-women music festival, featuring Bonnie Raitt, Erykah Badu, Olivia Rodrigo, Emmylou Harris, and Sarah McLachlan herself.

Synopsis:

The untold story of the groundbreaking all-women music festival, started by singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan in the late 1990s. McLachlan was climbing the charts and selling records, but everyone in the industry told her no one would buy tickets to an all-female show. She ignored them all and, in 1996, brought Paula Cole on tour as her opening act. It went so well McLachlan decided to organize a festival that featured women-led bands and solo female artists. Drawing on more than 600 hours of archival footage, the new documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery tells the story of the groundbreaking concert tour.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and in the comments, tag a friend you’re bringing. Please also indicate which date you would like to attend, November 15/22. Multiple entries allowed.

Rules and regulations here.

Don’t want to chance it? More here on tickets.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures/CBC)

#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.