The Hot Docs Board of Directors is pleased to announce Diana Sanchez as the organization’s new Executive Director. With over 25 years of experience in the international and Canadian film industry, Sanchez brings extensive industry expertise, dynamic leadership and a lifelong devotion to cinema. She succeeds Interim Executive Director Janice Dawe, whose steady leadership helped the organization navigate a period of challenges and transition. Dawe will remain to support a seamless transition and to ensure that the new Executive Director is properly positioned and well-supported throughout this period.
Starting March 31, Sanchez will oversee the strategic direction and management of the annual Hot Docs Festival, conference and market, as well as Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema and the organization’s year-round industry and public facing programs and activities.
Her appointment marks a renewed commitment to Hot Docs’ mission—to amplify powerful documentary storytelling, serve audiences with bold and diverse programming and support filmmakers at all stages of their careers. With a track record of innovation and transformation, she will lead Hot Docs into a period of rebuilding and reimagining, championing new initiatives and expanding the Festival’s global impact. Sanchez was selected for the position following an extensive search. The Board would like to express its sincere gratitude to the hiring committee for their dedication and leadership throughout the process.
“On behalf of the Board, we are thrilled to welcome Diana to Hot Docs. We are confident that her leadership will usher in an exciting new era for the organization,” said Hot Docs’ Board Co-Chair Nicholas de Pencier. “Diana brings passion, vast experience in the industry, and an unwavering commitment to the power that film has to bring people together and effect positive change. We look forward to her vital contribution in reshaping Hot Docs’ future, strengthening our Festival and Cinema, and continuing to champion filmmakers in Canada and beyond. Her vision will help Hot Docs amplify diverse voices, connect audiences with vital stories, and foster meaningful dialogue that sparks empathy and understanding.”
"I’m thrilled to be joining the Hot Docs team at such a pivotal moment. Storytelling has the power to rediscover, reimagine, and bring fresh perspectives to the world around us. In that same spirit, Hot Docs is stepping into an exciting new chapter—one of growth, transformation and renewed vision. As documentary cinema continues to evolve, I’m eager to champion bold voices, embrace fresh ideas and foster meaningful connections—both within our local community and across the global documentary landscape. I look forward to collaborating with the talented team at Hot Docs to shape a dynamic and inclusive future for documentary storytelling,” shared Diana Sanchez.
Sanchez has held key positions at prominent international festivals, including the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)—where she served as Senior Director of Film and International Programmer—the Miami Film Festival, Rotterdam Film Festival and the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF). As a Founder of the International Film Festival of Panama, she recognized the need for a festival dedicated to Central American and Caribbean films. IFF Panama became a launchpad for the region’s cinema, as described by Variety as “one of the world’s most rapidly growing festivals.”
A lifelong advocate for film education and accessibility, Sanchez holds an MA in Cinema Studies from the University of Toronto and has lectured extensively. Most recently, she led the first season of the University of Toronto’s ‘Pop-Up’ Cinematheque, developing a partnership between the Media Commons Archives and the Cinema Studies Institute to showcase the Archives’ collection and offer access to students and diverse audiences for campus programming.
Photo credit: Dewey Chang