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Hot Docs News

February 2025: Alumni Success Stories

Hot Docs alumni continue to make waves on the international stage, with recent premieres and recognitions at some of the world's most prestigious film festivals and awards. We are thrilled to celebrate their achievements!

The Tallest Dwarf (D: Julie Forrest Wyman; formerly known as Untitled Dwarfism Project), a Hot Docs Forum alum, is set to premiere in the Documentary Spotlight section at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2025.

How to Build a Library (D: Chris King, Maia Lekow), a recipient of the Hot Docs-Blue Ice Docs Fund, celebrated its world premiere at Sundance 2025.

Black Box Diaries (D: Shiori Ito), a Hot Docs Deal Maker alum, and Porcelain War (D: Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev) from the official Hot Docs 2024 selection have been nominated for the 2025 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, marking an incredible milestone for both films and their teams.

Several Hot Docs-supported films were recognized with major awards at Sundance 2025:

  • US Grand Jury Prize: Documentary – Seeds (D: Brittany Shyne), a Hot Docs Deal Maker alum;

  • US Documentary Special Jury Award – Life after (D: Reid Davenport), a Hot Docs Forum alum;

  • World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression – Coexistence, My Ass! (D: Amber Fares), a Hot Docs Deal Maker alum;

  • World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary – Cutting Through Rocks (D: Mohammad Reza Eyni, Sara Khaki), a Hot Docs Forum alum & CrossCurrents International Doc Fund recipient.

We are incredibly proud of our alumni and their continued success in bringing bold, impactful storytelling to audiences worldwide.


Photo: Cutting Through Rocks film still

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