FAQ: Docs For Schools

No! Thanks to our supporters and partners, all Docs For Schools events are offered 100% free.

Students may bring nut-free snacks and water bottles to the cinema, or they may purchase snacks at our concessions.

We ask that students do NOT eat full meals during the screening as this can be disruptive to other attendees.

If you need a location for your students to eat lunch after the screening, we recommend Seaton Park (14 Albany Ave), which is a 2-minute walk from the cinema.

Yes, Docs For Schools and Hot Docs Cinema are committed to accessibility.

There is designated wheelchair seating on the main floor of the Cinema, and a barrier-free washroom in the main lobby. Full details are available here.

Please alert the Docs For Schools team in advance if accessibility considerations are required.

Hot Docs Cinema seats just over 600 guests, and there is no other limit on the number of students any school or educator may bring to a screening.

However, for large bookings of 100 or more students, you may be contacted by our team to confirm your attendance estimate.

No. Please plan to arrive at the cinema with your students.

Our lobby space is very limited, and it is not feasible for educators to meet students or perform attendance checks in the lobby. These screenings are often fully booked, and a bottleneck can occur quickly.

Arriving with your students is the best way to ensure you are seated immediately and the screening begins on time. We cannot seat students without an educator or chaperone present.

If you need a location to meet your students before heading to the cinema, we recommend the nearby Seaton Park (14 Albany Ave).

No, as long as each class arrives with an educator or chaperone, they will be seated.

If you plan to attend with significantly fewer students then you registered for, please inform the Docs For Schools team at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Most of our screenings have a waitlist, which we can only invite with enough notice.

On the day of the screening, if you arrive with fewer students than planned, please inform the Docs For Schools team at the door and ensure you have an up-to-date headcount upon arrival.

Please email [email protected] immediately if you can no longer attend so that we can invite our waitlist.

Docs For Schools depends on various partners and supporters, and we have a responsibility to accurately report attendance numbers. No-shows directly impact our ability to continue operating Docs For Schools.

Each Docs For Schools screening includes a short introduction, the film screening, and a 20-minute Q&A with a special guest.

If you think your class will need to leave the screening before the end of the Q&A, please contact the Docs For Schools team at [email protected] in advance of the screening day.

Third-party organizations are not permitted to book seats without prior communication with the Docs For Schools team.

Educators may book for their own classes and for other classes from the same school. It is essential for schools to do their own bookings so that we have an active point of contact for each school as per our safety commitments to the TDSB.