An Austrian who lives in Miami Beach, producer-director Rudi Dolezal’s music videos and docs have platformed musicians ranging from Bob Marley to Queen, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie. Best known for the Grammy-nominated Miles Davis and Quincy Jones: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and Freddie Mercury, the Untold Story, Dolezal had a long, warm relationship
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord But you’re gonna have to serve somebody – Bob Dylan Many of Federico Fellini’s films were steeped in the guilt, fear, and mysticism of the Catholicism he grew up with in northern Italy. When Fellini was a child, priests told him that a
Give Me Future (USA/Cuba, 85 min.) Dir. Austin Peters Programme: Artscapes (Canadian Premiere) Before The Stones rolled into Cuba for their 2016 Havana Moon show, Major Lazer drew huge crowds of young Cubans to a groundbreaking performance. The core of this electronic dancehall world music unit are the deejaying trio of Florida’s Diplo, Jamaica’s
Machines and Cold Valley are part of a cluster of films at Hot Docs that fall into the sub genres of labour and environmental investigation. Cold Valley by the young German director duo Florian Fischer and Johannes Krell is a white cube documentary art installation, which actually started out in a heavily stylized, antiseptic gallery
Susanne Bartsch: On Top (USA, 84 min.) Dir. Anthony&Alex Programme: Nightvision (Programme: Nightvision) Hot Docs’ team of programmers have chosen a large number of character portraits this year—more than in previous editions of the festival. While the focus may illustrate a trend in production, audience interest, or both, it also amplifies the virtues and
White Walls Say Nothing (Argentina/USA, 70 min.) Dir. Jonny Robson, Gates Bradley Programme: Artscapes (World Premiere) White Walls Say Nothing profiles the Argentine artists who took graffiti to a new level by painting the drab grey buildings of Buenos Aires with vibrant colours and uplifting murals. The doc gains access to an impressive number
Motel (Canada, 57 min.) Dir. Jesse McCracken Programme: Canadian Spectrum (World Premiere) Jesse McCracken strips away the postcard perfect image of Niagara Falls in Motel. This compassionate and restrained observation doc takes a glimpse at the impoverished but very neighbourly residents of the popular tourist town. McCracken, who also shot and edited the film,
32 Pills: My Sister’s Suicide (USA, 85 min.) Dir. Hope Litoff Programme: Artscapes (World Premiere) In 2008, photographer Ruth Litoff took her own life. Her sister, director Hope Litoff, returns to Ruth’s belongings and revisits the death to look for answers in her film 32 Pills: My Sister’s Suicide. Despite its intimacy, 32 Pills never
Spettacolo (USA, 89 min.) Dirs. Jeff Malmberg & Christina Shellen Programme: World Showcase Capturing the inhabitants of a small Tuscan village as they prepare for their annual play, Jeff Malmberg and Christina Shellen’s Spettacolo shares with us a unique tradition. Stemming from the trauma of a Fascist roundup, the townspeople use their theatre to
Life to Come / (La vie à venir) (Belgium, 75 min.) Dir. Claudio Capanna Programme: World Showcase (North American Premiere) Born severely premature, twins Eden and Léandro struggle to survive in Claudio Capanna’s Life to Come. Staying in hospital with their mother Laurence, the babies are kept alive with machines and constantly monitored while