A record nine delegations from the UK, US, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa and the Nordic region will participate in Hot Docs’ International Co-Production Day on May 2 during this year’s festival in Toronto (April 28 to May 8).
The delegations include producers and broadcasters working in documentary genres and “represent an impressive cross-section of the global documentary community,” said Chris McDonald, executive director of Hot Docs, in a release.
The delegations are led by UK (Interdoc and Sheffield Doc/Fest), Brazil (Terra Brasilis Filmes), China (iDocs), France (French Trade Commission and the French Image cluster Iconoval), Germany (AG DOK), Italy (Italian Trade Commission and Doc/It), The Nordic region (Filmkontakt Nord), South Africa (Documentary Filmmakers Association) and the US (IFP and Shooting People).
Hot Docs also announced that 26 documentary features are part of this year’s Special Presentations program, a high-profile collection of world and international premieres and award-winners from the recent international festival circuit.
“Our Special Presentations program is the closest documentary gets to glitz and glamour,” said Hot Docs director of programming Sean Farnel, “but behind that glitz and glamour is a program grounded in reality, offering compelling glimpses into the epic life of a chimpanzee and a club king, the champions of ultimate fighting and gay porn [as well as] the unique complexities of living day-to-day as a reincarnated prophet, a beloved puppeteer, or the son of Cher.”
The programme includes Carol Channing (Carol Channing: Larger Than Life), Conan O’Brien [pictured] (Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop), A Tribe Called Quest (Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest), Bobby Fischer (Bobby Fischer Against the World), Miriam Makeba (Mama Africa), Ron Sexsmith (Love Shines), and Elmo (Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey).
Award-winners from film festivals around the globe include Position Among the Stars, Vodka Factory, Buck and Senna.
Works by documentary masters and celebrated filmmakers include James Marsh’s Project Nim; Alison Ellwood and Alex Gibney’s Magic Trip; Jennifer Fox’s My Reincarnation and The National Parks Project.
Special Presentations also includes the world premieres of The Hollywood Complex and Dolphin Boy, and the international premieres of Becoming Chaz, The Bully Project, Fightville, Limelight and In Heaven, Underground.
Eight titles were also unveiled today for this year’s previously announced Made in Italy program, including the world premier of Cosmic Energy Inc., an Italy-Spain co-production directed by Giuseppe Schillaci about three enterprising Italians who found an alternative, eco-friendly agri-business.
A full list of titles is available at the Hot Docs website: www.hotdocs.ca
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