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!

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Italy/US co-production producing partners, Marta Zaccaron, Incipit Film and Christine La Monte, La Monte Productions, in association with Andy Cohen, AC Films Inc. are pleased to announce that Maxim Derevianko feature film directorial debut’s documentary, AI WEIWEI’S TURANDOT will have its Canadian premiere at Hot Docs 2025 as part of their Big Idea. ( https://hotdocs.ca/festivals/hot-docs-festival/big-ideas)

AI WEIWEI’S TURANDOT is an Italy/US co-production directed by Maxim Derevianko (Ars Erotica, Origen, Le Creature di Prometeo/Le Creature di Capucci), co-written by Michele Cogo (The Red Door) and Derevianko and produced by Co-production producing partners, Marta Zaccaron (The Kiss of the Grasshopper, Family Therapy, Sanremo), and Christine La Monte (VIVA VERDI!), with producer Andy Cohen (To Kill a Tiger) executive produced by Julian Lennon (Maya, Women of the White Buffalo) and Marcie Polier (Two Gun Cohen.)

AI WEIWEI’S TURANDOT delves into the artistic journey of renowned Chinese artist and activist, Ai Weiwei, during his groundbreaking operatic directorial debut at the Rome Opera House. Drawing inspiration from Puccini’s renowned opera, Turandot, Ai Weiwei masterfully weaves together the opera’s timeless narrative with contemporary global issues, including the Ukraine war, the refugee crises, tyranny, freedom of speech, and more. The film not only reaffirms the enduring relevance of Puccini’s masterpiece but also serves as a reflection of Ai Weiwei’s life and artistic philosophy. Capturing the meticulous staging, rehearsals, and collaborations that bring this visionary production to life, the film takes viewers on an historic behind-the-scenes exploration of Ai Weiwei’s creative process. According to esteemed choreographer Chiang Ching, a lifelong friend and collaborator of Ai Weiwei who provides insights into the deeply personal connection between Ai Weiwei and Turandot, the opera serves as a reflection of Ai Weiwei’s own life. This fusion of the opera’s stunning visuals, evocative music, and powerful storytelling offers a transformative experience that encompasses the essence of Ai Weiwei’s creative vision and process inviting viewers to witness the convergence of music, activism, and visual art, celebrating the enduring legacy of Turandot and the visionary spirit of Ai Weiwei.

AI WEIWEI’S TURANDOT Co-production producing partners Marta Zaccaron and Christine La Monte, producing together with Andy Cohen, remark, “Hot Docs and its arts-forward audience is the perfect festival for AI WEIWEI’S TURANDOT to make its North American Premiere. The film celebrates the creative process and the power of collaboration, revealing the transformative impact that art can have on individuals and society at large. Thank you Heather Haynes and your stellar team for embracing our film – we are all thrilled to be Toronto-bound!”

Director Maxim Derevianko adds, “Delighted to have my Canadian premiere at Hot Docs. Working with Ai Weiwei has been a life-long dream realized – through his directorial journey, I’ve been able to explore the intersection of opera, activism, and contemporary challenges. Very happy to be sharing our film with Hot Docs audiences – renowned for appreciating documentaries.”

Cinematography by Maxim Derevianko, editing by Emanuele Bonomi (Croste di Polenta) with consulting editor Kate Amend (Into The Arms of Strangers,) sound editing and mix by Federico Cabula (Una Femmina: The Code of Silence), Marco Falloni (The Eight Mountains) with original music by Marco Guazzone (The Place.)

An Incipit Film and La Monte Production Co-Production in association with AC Film, White Feather Films and Homemade Entertainment, in collaboration with Teatro Dell/Opera Di Roma, Co-financed by Fondo Audiovisivo FVG and Direzione Generale Cinema & Audiovisivo.

Rise and Shine World Sales will be handling international sales for the film.

ABOUT MAXIM DERVIANKO
An award-winning director, Derevianko is based in Rome. In 2023, he directed the docuseries “Ars Erotica” with Euridice Axen, a 5-episode series about Eros in the Arts for Sky Arte, produced by Bottega Finzioni. Previously, Derevianko directed and wrote the feature documentaries “Le Creature di Prometeo/Le Creature di Capucci,” which follows the fashion Maestro Roberto Capucci in his last creations for a show at the Spoleto Festival, presented at the Chamber of Deputies in Rome, as well as, “Origen,” about the return of some of the most important choreographers and dancers in Europe after the lockdown within the Origen Festival Cultural in Switzerland, including ballet companies such as the Paris Operà, The Staatsoper of Vienna, the Zurich Ballet and NDT. In 2018, Derevianko directed the feature documentary, “Cellos & Drums” for the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, following renowned cellist, Giovanni Sollima and his Ensemble in Rome and Amsterdam concerts. During his work collaborating with the Rome Opera House, he produced and directed multicam streamings and trailers for all opera and ballet productions, working with internationally renowned directors such as Sofia Coppola, Emma Dante, William Kentridge, for opera and choreography, and dancers such as Roberto Bolle, Eleonora Abbagnato and Angelin Preljocaj. Among his current and ongoing work for top international brands includes directing Netflix’s advertising campaigns for international series “Berlin” with Pedro Alonso and “Emily in Paris” with Lily Collins, as well as Bulgari’s Crafting Magnificence campaign and Octofinissimo campaign, with actor Alessandro Borghi and “Utopia” for Dior. Prior to this, he directed, wrote and produced the multi-award winning sci-fi short film, BODYPIECES.

INCIPIT FILM (Italy) / INCIPIT FILM, founded and headed by Marta Zaccaron, is an independent production company based in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy. It develops, produces and co-produces documentary and fiction projects for the international market that address relevant issues to the society we live in, mostly in co- production with foreign partners. It is a company in constant evolution, born with a purely documentary vocation, that has recently co- produced feature films that have garnered much international acclaim, participating in prestigious festivals and distributed through European channels. It is pursuing more and more ambitious projects and collaborations with very talented artists and with an innovative narrative. Incipit Film works regularly with the FVG Audiovisual Fund, FVG Film Commission, MiC and RAI.

LA MONTE PRODUCTIONS (USA) / LA MONTE PRODUCTIONS is a Los Angeles-based entertainment production company founded and headed by former Universal, Disney and Orion marketing executive, Christine La Monte. In addition to AI WEIWEI’S TURANDOT, current projects on the festival circuit include feature documentary VIVA VERDI!, about Casa Verdi, Milan, home for retired opera singers built by Giuseppe Verdi; and in post-production is FIGLI DEL FIUME, a ‘contemplative’ film that follows three men in search of meaning along Italy’s Po River. THE OTHER SIDE OF 90, which La Monte is directing, and JUSTICE DEFERRED, based on Len Williams’ critically acclaimed legal thriller, are in development. La Monte produced the award-winning short, DANDELION DHARMA; scripted play, “Three Grooms & A Bride”, and syndicated television talk show, “Marilu” starring Marilu Henner. A long-time member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, La Monte is a member of the Television Academy, and the Alliance of Women Directors.

A.C Films is a NYC media production company founded by Andy Cohen, a three-time Emmy nominated independent filmmaker, whose recent films received three Academy Awards nominations spanning both scripted and documentary genres: The Apprentice in 2025 for Best Actor (Sebastian Stan), Best Supporting Actor (Jeremy Strong) and To Kill a Tiger in 2024 for Best Feature Documentary. Cohen directed, wrote, and produced the multi-award-winning feature-length documentaries, Ximei (2019) and Beijing Spring (2021), among others.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hot Docs 2025 Special Presentations include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hot Docs announced today the first slate of films to screen as part of its highly anticipated Special Presentations program at the 2025 Festival, running April 24 to May 4, 2025 in Toronto. The Special Presentations program, which features high-profile subjects, award-winning films and filmmakers, and masterful perspectives on current events and pressing issues, will screen in cinemas across downtown Toronto during the Festival.

Making its world premiere at Hot Docs Festival 2025 is The Nest, a deeply personal exploration of memory, identity, and intergenerational storytelling by co-directors Chase Joynt and Julietta Singh. International premieres include Deaf President Now!, a powerful chronicle of the landmark student protest that transformed accessibility rights in the US; and Life After, in which celebrated filmmaker Reid Davenport investigates the troubling implications of assisted suicide laws for disabled people.

Making their Canadian premieres are Antidote, a gripping real-life thriller following investigative journalist Christo Grozev and activist Vladimir Kara-Murza as they challenge Russia’s political machine; Apocalypse in the Tropics, Petra Costa’s timely and incisive look at the rise of religious fundamentalism in Brazil; Coexistence, My Ass!, where comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi boldly navigates the Israel-Palestine conflict with razor-sharp wit; Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, an intimate portrait of the trailblazing Deaf actor; and Saints and Warriors, which captures the fierce competition and deep community spirit of the All Native Basketball Tournament in British Columbia. These films, and many more, will be presented as part of Hot Docs Festival 2025.

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

Descriptions for films in the Special Presentations program appear below. In many cases, filmmakers will be in attendance for post-screening discussions. For more information on the program visit http://go.pardot.com/e/463832/ot-docs-festival-announcements/lcd6y/773667820/h/bcPFH0Dzg_lRW-Nv-XhjxMMqYl_dAHxxXsu_im1L5U8.

Film stills of Special Presentation titles are available at http://go.pardot.com/e/463832/y3p8zknz/lcd72/773667820/h/bcPFH0Dzg_lRW-Nv-XhjxMMqYl_dAHxxXsu_im1L5U8.

ANTIDOTE
D: James Jones | P: James Jones | United Kingdom | 2024 | 90 min | Canadian Premiere
How does it feel to be on Putin’s most-wanted list? Christo Grozev, an investigative journalist and co-founder of Bellingcat, is on the run, while Vladimir Kara-Murza, a political activist, stands trial for treason. A riveting doc-thriller about those resisting and confronting the blood-chilling Russian regime.

APOCALYPSE IN THE TROPICS
D: Petra Costa | P: Petra Costa, Alessandra Orofino | Brazil, USA, Denmark | 2024 | 110 min | Canadian Premiere
In Oscar-nominated filmmaker Petra Costa’s latest excursion into the state of democracy she turns her attention to Brazil’s most prominent televangelist, Silas Malafaia, delving into the rise of religious fundamentalism in politics and its close ties to the far-right nationalist movement.

COEXISTENCE, MY ASS!
D: Amber Fares | P: Rachel Leah Jones, Amber Fares, Valérie Montmartin | USA, France | 2025 | 95 min | Canadian Premiere
Mixing the personal with the political, comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi boldly confronts the Israel-Palestine conflict in her one-woman show. Skillfully navigating massive social and political divides with wit and humour, she challenges audiences with hard truths that are no laughing matter.

DEAF PRESIDENT NOW!
D: Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim | P: Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim, Amanda Rohlke, Jonathan King, Michael Harte | USA | 2024 | 100 min | International Premiere
When Gallaudet University’s board selected a hearing president over two deaf candidates in 1988, the almost entirely Deaf and hard-of-hearing student body pushed back, sparking a revolution that influenced the future of disability rights.

LIFE AFTER
D: Reid Davenport | P: Colleen Cassingham | USA | 2025 | 99 min | International Premiere
Disability cinema auteur Reid Davenport takes on assisted suicide, exploring how a practice intended to empower end-of-life decision-making has exposed the long-standing devaluation of disabled life.

MARLEE MATLIN: NOT ALONE ANYMORE
D: Shoshannah Stern | P: Robyn Kopp, Justine Nagan, Bonni Cohen, Shoshannah Stern | USA | 2025 | 97 min | Canadian Premiere
Pioneering Deaf performer Marlee Matlin candidly opens up about her life and career. Her meteoric and tumultuous rise to fame with her Oscar-winning performance in Children of a Lesser God is just one chapter of an iconic legacy that continues to resonate.

THE NEST
D: Chase Joynt, Julietta Singh | P: Alicia Smith, Justine Pimlott | Canada, | 2025 | 89 min | World Premiere
At the end of her mother’s life, director Julietta Singh returns to her childhood home, where centuries of forgotten matriarchs emerge to reveal stories of resistance and resilience. Indigenous, Deaf, Japanese and South Asian histories intertwine, buried in a house full of secrets.

SAINTS AND WARRIORS
D: Patrick Shannon | P: Michael Grand | Canada | 2024 | 97 min | Canadian Premiere
For over sixty years, teams have gathered on the Pacific west coast for the All Native Basketball Tournament. As the defending champions, the Skidegate Saints, battle to keep their title, it’s clear the event has become a symbol of resilience, community and culture.

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

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

Hot Docs is proud to include Rogers as its Founding Partner; Netflix as its Presenting Partner; and Telefilm Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the Canada Media Fund as its Major Supporters. Full list of sponsors and partners: http://go.pardot.com/e/463832/about-partners/lcd65/773667820/h/bcPFH0Dzg_lRW-Nv-XhjxMMqYl_dAHxxXsu_im1L5U8