Hot Docs Festival
Hot Docs presented the 31st edition of the Festival
from April 25 to May 5.
Hot Docs 2024 presented a dynamic slate of 168 outstanding films from 64 countries on seven screens across Toronto. The Festival continued its commitment to gender parity with 54% female directors represented in the official selection.
Big Ideas, presented by Scotia Wealth Management, offered audiences the opportunity to experience five thought-provoking documentaries and then hear firsthand from the films’ notable subjects and experts on the issues featured in the films, including Born Hungry director Barry Avrich and subject Sash Simpson, Love Machina director Pete Sillen and subjects Martine and Bina Rothblatt, Fly co-directors Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau, and subjects Julia Botelho Morgan and Amber Forte, ENO director Gary Hustwit, and Never Look Away director Lucy Lawless.
In 2024, a variety of new Festival programming strands were introduced, including Land|Sky|Sea Competition, a thematic film program exploring nature and our relationship with it; Emergence, a new slate highlighting stories of our complex relationship with technology and AI; and The Art of Resistance, a program celebrating the intersection of protest and creativity, featuring films that highlight the profound impact of collective voices rallying for change and offering a glimmer of hope, among others.
A showcase of recent works from Spain made up the dynamic Made In program, offering Hot Docs’ audiences the opportunity to immerse themselves into a rich tapestry of captivating, uniquely Spanish stories and discover the talented voices emerging from Spain’s vibrant documentary landscape.
This year, a total of 15 awards were handed out, including 11 awards for Festival films in competition—of which nine were won by female filmmakers—and $75,000 in cash and prizes were awarded.