30th Anniversary Events

Look to the skies on Thursday, April 27 as the CN Tower will be lit green in celebration of the 30^th  anniversary of Hot Docs and our incredible audiences! The lighting will take place at dusk with the tower fully visible in green shortly afterwards. A standard light show will run for eight minutes at the top of every hour, followed by another light show on the half hour.

Our Active Listeners are available if you’d like to speak with someone after viewing select films with challenging and/or triggering subject matter. All conversations with Active Listeners are confidential.

An ode to the Festival film La Singla, join us for an amazing pop-up performance on the second floor of Scotiabank Cinema by Toronto’s own flamenco legend Carmen Romero. This passionate performance, accompanied by a live flamenco singer and guitar player, is open to the public.

Looking for insight into your past, present or future? Coven ticket holders can have their tarot cards read by two of the film's subjects before the screenings on April 28 and May 5. Come find out what the future holds.

Enjoy a pre-show live performance with “The Rider Raiders”, an upbeat horn band known for groovy funky jazz and classic covers featuring Juno Award–winning alto sax player Richard Underhill, lyrical jazz trumpet player Tim Hamel, world-renowned drummer phenom Great Bob Scott, and sousaphone maestro Jay Burr prior to A Wall Is a Screen.

Guests can use promo code HOTDOCS23 for a $5 discounted parking rate in Lot 1 and Lot 2 at Ontario Place. Please note: Lot 1 may be busy from 6:30pm-8:00pm for the TFC game at BMO Field. We recommend parking in Lot 2.

Since 2003, the Hamburg-based collective A Wall is a Screen has been transforming walls and other structures around the world into screens as part of its short film walks. Each film is chosen specifically for the site where it is to be projected and adds a layer to its surroundings. The audience follows the projection team from wall to wall, and thus from film to film. Supposedly familiar places in the city appear in a new light. Other sites, which perhaps never seemed to be suited for projection, suddenly light up in a completely new way.

For A Wall Is a Screen: Toronto at Hot Docs, Ontario Place was chosen as a very special site for this unique walk. Before it is transferred into something new, A Wall Is a Screen will show a selection of films inspired by the history, the present and maybe even the future of this iconic location.

Only the starting point will be known in advance—the films and projections locations are a surprise. Participation is free.

This event requires moving between multiple locations. While there is a step-free path, it is steep and uneven in sections.

A preshow will take place when doors open at 8:30pm, featuring The Rider Raiders, an upbeat horn band known for jazz and rock classics, featuring Juno Award-winning alto sax player Richard Underhill, lyrical jazz trumpet player Tim Hamel, world-renowned drummer phenom Great Bob Scott and sousaphone maestro Jay Burr.

Please meet at the West Commons at Ontario Place. Pre-show starts at 8:30pm. The event starts at 9:00pm and will last approximately 90 minutes. All films are family friendly. The event will still take place in the case of light rain.

Guests can use promo code HOTDOCS23 for a $5 discounted parking rate in Lot 1 and Lot 2 at Ontario Place. Please note: Lot 1 may be busy from 6:30pm-8:00pm for the TFC game at BMO Field. We recommend parking in Lot 2.

As the Festival gets into full swing, Hot Docs invites you to take a PAWS! We’ve partnered with Sunshine Therapy Dogs, a Toronto-based charity (and group of dog lovers!), to host a therapy dog visit ahead of the selection Confessions of a Good Samaritan, which is part of the Human Kind program. Connect with some furry friends who have been known to bring out the best of humankind at a visit that will provide you with a boost of paws-itivity!

Sit with Roselle Desserts' Stephanie Duong and Bruce Lee, FoodShare Toronto's Fateha Hossain, and local food and co-op advocate Susanna Redekop for a Toronto perspective on how we think about food and supply chains. This discussion will span the challenges faced by restaurant owners, independent farmers, and community partners, as well as the movement of BIPOC food initiatives during the height of the pandemic and how local food advocates found successes in the face of adversity.

Admission is FREE! Attendees will receive a small treat courtesy of Roselle.

Topics and themes will be connected to those seen in Food and Country.

Legendary model, agent and activist Bethann Hardison has undeniably launched the careers of countless fashion and film superstars, changed the face of the industry with her advocacy work, and shows no sign of slowing down. Join Bethann for a conversation with Canadian model and successful entrepreneur Lana Ogilvie, who was a part of the Black Girls Coalition co-created in the late-80's by Bethann and Somali-American supermodel Iman. Sure to inspire, this reunion will delve into Bethann's 50-year career and her legacy as a model, agent and, most importantly, a mentor in the fight for racial diversity both on and off the runway.

Stick around for a short musical set inside the Isabel Bader Theatre lobby with the harmonious duo of lisa Olafson, a veteran of the Toronto music scene for over 20 years, most notably with her band Dirty Dishes, and Jennifer Foster, a recording artist and actor who was a “Jazzagal" on Schitt’s Creek for five seasons. The set will include uplifting Indigo Girls tunes including Closer to Fine.

This event accompanies the 1:30PM screening of It's Only Life After All. Access for screening attendees only.

Falling on a full moon, the final screening of Coven will be followed by a performance by film subject Ayo Leilani, a queer, East African, singer-songwriter who performs under the name Witch Prophet. Witch Prophet uses music as a portal for self-growth and discovery by creating soundscapes of vocal layers, loops, raps, and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz, and soul-inspired beats. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to experience Witch Prophet’s magic on and off the screen.
 
This event accompanies the 6:00PM screening of Coven. Access for screening attendees only.

How’s your three-point shot? Can you channel basketball superstar Steph Curry? Show us your best shot, celebrate your inner MVP, and join us for some free, family-friendly activities including games, crafts, photos, and more prior to the final screening of Stephen Curry: Underrated.

As we celebrate our 30^th anniversary, Hot Docs is delighted to have Canadian football legend and local community champion Michael "Pinball" Clemons join us for a very special conversation on Saturday, May 6, to share his experiences of defying the odds and building up the next generation of athletes and youth.

Access: FREE for ticket holders of 3:30PM screening of Stephen Curry: Underrated.

Embark on your very own mission to Mars with the SpaceEngine virtual reality experience from VR Playin! Before you take in The Longest Goodbye, this realistic virtual universe will transport you to deep space landscapes and allow you to travel from star to star and galaxy to galaxy, land on planets and explore alien landscapes. Journey to bold new worlds without ever needing to blast off of the Earth's surface.

As the veteran of two space shuttle missions, astronaut Dr. Dave Williams has logged more than 687 hours in space! He was assigned as a spacewalker on STS-90 and performed three spacewalks during STS-118 helping to build and maintain the International Space Station. He holds the Canadian spacewalking record and has spent over four hours riding Canadarm 2 on his second spacewalk. Join us for this special extended Q&A following the final screening of The Longest Goodbye and get the inside scoop on what it takes to go to space. 

This event accompanies the 6:30PM screening of The Longest Goodbye. Access for screening attendees only.

Following the May 6th screening of Kanaval, Toronto-based Dance Caribe Performing Company (DCPC) will bring the vibrant sights and sounds of Caribbean carnival to Hot Docs! DCPC is an award-winning not-for-profit that preserves the cultural diversity of the Caribbean through dance. Stories of perseverance and island rhythms will stay with you long after you leave the cinema!

This event accompanies the 7:45PM screening of Kanaval: A People’s History of Haiti. Access for screening attendees only.