My Dads, My Moms, and Me (Canada, 85 min.) Dir. Julia Ivanova Programme: Focus On (World Premiere) In 2005, Canada became the first country outside of Europe to legalize same-sex marriage. This opened a legal way for many gay men to fulfill their dream of having children. In 2007’s Fatherhood Dreams, Julia Ivanova (Limit is
The Edge of Democracy (Brazil, 112 min.) Dir. Petra Costa Programme: Special Presentations (Canadian Premiere) Petra Costa’s political documentary The Edge of Democracy is like none other, a work both intimate and grand in scope. Her incredible access to the political ruling class of her native Brazil results in a film, which truly tracks history in the
What did you apply to your hair, skin, or teeth today? Do you ever consider why you use personal care products or cosmetics? Or do you look at the labels to see what the products contain? Our consumer society has been created by and for the companies that produce a very basic commodity: soap. But
Is there any hope left for the American dream? The prospects for the land of the free look pretty dire in the outstanding American Factory. The doc offers an immersive and penetrating look into the plight of the USA’s working class.
Chris Flanagan’s Shella Record – A Reggae Mystery is an ode to obsession, tracing one man’s desire to uncover the identity of a mystery singer he first heard on a thrift-store audio purchase. The director talks about his film at Hot Docs.
River Silence (Canada, 90 min.) Dir. Rogério Soares Programme: Canadian Spectrum (World Premiere) The New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis is an expert on “miserablism.” She has a keen eye for spotting this cinematic style and often identifies it in the work of emerging directors, like early Lynne Ramsay, Andrea Arnold, and pre-Birdman Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Always in Season (USA, 88 min.) Dir. Jacqueline Olive Programme: Special Presentations (International Premiere) Director Jacqueline Olive asks if lynching still exists in the USA in her provocative documentary Always in Season, but the film awkwardly strangles itself by having one narrative thread too many. There’s a searing true crime saga to be found somewhere within her interrogation
Because We Are Girls (Canada, 85 min.) Dir.: Baljit Sangra Programme: Persister (World Premiere) Because We Are Girls begins with three adult sisters, and a secret. Though we know something has happened to them, Baljit Sangra gives space for these women to be themselves, enjoying the company of family, before letting us know that they have
Behind the Shutters (Belgium, 50 minutes) Dir.: Messaline Raverdy Programme: World Showcase At the start of her pregnancy, director Messaline Raverdy moves into her grandmother’s house. While there, she speaks to the older woman about her life, tracing her own maternal heritage, while interviewing the women who worked at her grandfather’s coffee factory. At the
Born in Evin (Germany/Austria, 98 min.) Dir. Maryam Zaree Programme: Persister (International Premiere) Maryam Zaree opens her extraordinary film by narrating a Talmudic story that immediately bonds you to her and sets up the doc’s storyline. All children are born with a candle on their head, goes the story, signifying that they know everything. But