Hot Docs is promoting Heather Haynes to the newly expanded role of Director of Programming. The announcement, which comes today via a release from Hot Docs, offers another step forward as the organization rebuilds heading into next year’s festival.
Haynes will be a point of consistency in an organization that’s seeing significant change in the ranks with a new Executive Director and Board of Directors to be appointed leading up to the 2025 festival. She has been with Hot Docs for 19 years with a reliable track record during her run as Senior International Programmer.
In this role, a promotion from Director of Festival Programming, Haynes will lead the selections for the spring festival, as well as programming for Hot Docs’ Docs for Schools educational program and for Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. The latter will be going up for sale as per Hot Docs’ announcement last week, with hopes that the festival will continue programming under new ownership. Former Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema programmer David Knipe will join the festival as an International Programmer among the programming team announced today by Hot Docs.
“After nearly two decades at Hot Docs, I am deeply honoured to step into the role of Director of Programming,” Haynes said in a statement. “This organization has been a true passion of mine, and I am in awe of the incredible team that has helped build this remarkable legacy. My colleagues, whose dedication and resilience have been unwavering in the face of our recent challenges, inspire me daily. While our work is far from finished, we are steadfast in our commitment to re-stabilize and secure a future where we continue to support Canadian and international filmmakers, strengthen the documentary industry and serve our devoted audiences with the passion and excellence they deserve.”
“We are confident that under Heather’s leadership, Hot Docs will continue to deliver on its mission for years to come, and we look forward to her helping shape our next chapter,” added interim Executive Director Janice Dawe.
Returning to the programming team are Festival Programming Manager Kristin Boivin, Senior International Features Programmers Gabor Pertic and Lucila Moctezuma, International Programmers Gugi Gumilang and Vicci Ho, Senior International Shorts and Canadian Programmer Mariam Zaidi, International Mid-Lengths Programmer Vivian Belik, Senior Canadian Programmer Alex Rogalski, and Canadian Programmer Aisha Jamal.
Pertic, Belik, and Zaidi are among the programmers who are returning to Hot Docs after the mass resignation that preceded the 2024 festival. Many of the programmers who left, however, aren’t coming back.
New faces on the programming team include Knipe, who will be joined as International Features Programmer alongside Kinga Binkowska, Julian Carrington, and TIFF Docs associate Lauren Clarke. Joining as Associate International Features Programmers are Simone Estrin and Elspeth Arbow, while Hawa Essuman will serve as International Shorts Programmer and Reza Sameni as Associate International Shorts Programmer.
As announced last week, Hot Docs will return to its regular schedule with a festival running April 24 to May 4. It will have slimmed down programming of about 100 docs as the festival gets back on its feet. Regular programming will resume at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in December.
