Stories We Told: A monthly series presenting celebrated Canadian documentary gems of the past, giving audiences an opportunity to rediscover acclaimed films and filmmaking talent in a theatrical setting. Curated by Hot Docs Cinema lead programmer Vivian Belik.
Canada’s rich and influential documentary filmmaking history is something to be celebrated, and with Stories We Told, we’re looking to do just that. This Canadian doc rewind series seeks to reunite audiences with some of our country’s most iconic non-fiction titles, providing a rare opportunity for filmmakers to bring their work back to the big screen and to share – in-person whenever possible – their craft and their stories with the Hot Docs Cinema community.
We’re launching this new series with a literal roar! Kicking us off is none other than the iconic Canadian doc from 1996, Project Grizzly, celebrating its 30th anniversary.
An inventor goes face to face with Canada’s most deadly land mammal, the grizzly bear, in this Canadian classic that gained cult status, not to mention praise from director Quentin Tarantino and a loving parody on The Simpsons. After creating what he hopes is a grizzly-proof robo suit, Troy James Hurtubise ventures into Alberta’s Rocky Mountains on a quixotic quest to face a grizzly bear, testing his armour—and courage— along the way.
Join us for a special post-screening discussion on the 30th year legacy of Project Grizzly with director Peter Lynch.
Peter Lynch is a Canadian filmmaker based in Toronto. Lynch's first dramatic short, Arrowhead, was named one of the Top Ten Films of the Year by The Toronto Star in 1994. In 1996, Lynch directed Project Grizzly, one of the most celebrated Canadian documentaries of all time. His 2001 film Cyberman, a portrait of cyborg Steve Mann, screened at over 70 international festivals and was named one of Film Comment’s Top 10 Feature Films of 2002. Lynch’s other projects include the Genie-nominated docudrama The Herd (1998), A Whale of a Tale (2004), and The National Parks Project (2011). Lynch’s first narrative feature film, Birdland, is a contemporary noir that he wrote, directed, and co-produced, and was released theatrically in 2018.
TICKETS (+HST)
General: $15
Members: $10, $8, FREE