The 2026 Hot Docs announced the winning documentaries, with Nekai Walks directed by Rico King, taking the Hot Docs Rogers Audience Award for Best Canadian Documentary.
Hot Docs
Hot Docs was founded in 1993 by the Documentary Organization of Canada (formerly the Canadian Independent Film Caucus), a national association of independent documentary filmmakers.
In 1996, Hot Docs became a separately incorporated organization with a mandate to showcase and support the work of Canadian and international documentary filmmakers and to promote excellence in documentary production.
Each year, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival—North America’s largest doc festival, conference and market—presents over 200 cutting edge films from around the world.
Hot Docs started in 1993 and takes place in Toronto, Canada
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‘I, Poppy’ and ‘Agatha’s Almanac’ Take Top Hot Docs 2025 Jury Awards
I, Poppy by Vivek Chaudhary I, Poppy directed by Vivek Chaudhary has won the Best International Feature Documentary award along with the $10,000 cash prize at the 2025 Hot Docs documentary film festival. Agatha’s Almanac directed by Amalie Atkins walked away with Best Canadian Feature Documentary award along with $10,000 cash prize.
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Artist Sasha Wortzel’s ‘River of Grass’ Documentary on Everglades Continues Film Festival Run
River of Grass directed by Sasha Wortzel Inspired by the Book The Everglades: River of Grass by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the documentary River of Grass is the feature debut from artist and filmmaker Sasha Wortzel. The film is described as an “ode to the Everglades, told through the writings of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and those who today call the region home.”
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Ken Wardrop Irish Documentary ‘So This Is Christmas’ Premieres at Hot Docs | Trailer
So This Is Christmas (courtesy Autlook Filmsales) Shot on 35mm, Ken Wardrop’s So This Is Christmas is a thought-provoking and emotional journey of five characters as they navigate a complicated lead-up to Christmas.
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Patricia Bbaale Bandak’s ‘Death of a Saint’ Documentary Makes International Premiere at Hot Docs | Trailer
Death of a Saint (Troels Rasmus N’koya-Jensen, DFF) Directed by Patricia Bbaale Bandak, her personal documentary Death of a Saint will make its International Premiere at the 2024 Hot Docs Canadian Documentary Film Festival in Toronto on Tuesday April 30.
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Sarah Polley on Board as Executive Producer of ‘Beethoven’s Nine: Ode To Humanity’ Documentary | Trailer
Beethoven’s Nine: Ode to Humanity Beethoven’s Nine: Ode to Humanity, the new feature documentary from Emmy-winning and Oscar®-nominated Canadian filmmaker Larry Weinstein will have its World Premiere at Hot Docs Canadian Documentary Film Festival on April 28.
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Rama Rau’s COVEN Documentary on Witches, Priestesses, Obeah, Premieres at Hot Docs | Trailer
Coven directed by Rama Rau In Coven, the new documentary by Rama Rau premiering at Hot Docs film festival, three millennial women who identify as witches seek guidance and travel to explore their past lives and lost traditions.
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Brenda Akele Jorde’s THE HOMES WE CARRY Documents An Afro-German Family Torn Apart by World History
The Homes We Carry directed by Brenda Akele Jorde Directed by Brenda Akele Jorde, the documentary film The Homes We Carry will make its North American premiere at Hot Docs 2023 on April 28 in the festival program “The Changing Face of Europe”.
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Senior Artistic Swimmers Prepare for Competition in Megan Wennberg’s UNSYNCABLE Documentary at Hot Docs | Trailer
Unsyncable directed by Megan Wennberg Senior artistic swimmers (formerly known as synchronized swimmers) push physical, emotional and societal boundaries as they prepare for the U.S. Masters Artistic Swimming Championships in the documentary Unsyncable, set to World Premiere Hot Docs Canadian International Festival on May 3, 2023.
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Sherien Barsoum’s CYNARA Documentary on Canada’s Justice System to World Premiere at Hot Docs | Trailer
Cynara directed by Sherien Barsoum Canada’s justice system is put on trial as a defense team challenges a mother’s murder conviction for the death of her disabled child in the documentary Cynara.
