Diana Sanchez has been promoted to president of Hot Docs, effective immediately, as part of an executive leadership team restructure announced by the Toronto festival on Wednesday.
Sanchez has appointed Mara Gourd-Mercado, currently at CPH:DOX, to serve as executive director, Hot Docs. Gourd-Mercado starts in her new role on October 19 and will report to Sanchez.
Sanchez will focus on strategic direction, encompassing artistic oversight, government relations, business development, and major financial partnerships, while overseeing Hot Docs’ long-term health and stability.
Gourd-Mercado will lead day-to-day operations and fiscal management of the organisation and festival, including festival and industry fundraising. The new hire will also focus on industry programming, a revitalised Hot Docs Forum, and ties with the Francophone documentary community in Canada and overseas.
Hot Docs said it has consolidated or eliminated “a small number of theatre roles”.
Julie Bristow, chair, Hot Docs, congratulated Sanchez on the ”phenomenal work she has done to stabilise and elevate Hot Docs”, and said she and Gourd-Mercado would make “a remarkable team”. Sanchez praised Gourd-Mercado as a ”highly respected documentary thought leader with extensive festival experience and deep connections in the documentary ecosystem worldwide”. The new arrival said she looked forward to ”build the kind of stability that lets bold storytelling flourish, help strengthen the industry programming and Forum, and deepen ties with French-speaking communities”.
With Bristow as chair, Aaron Zeghers serves as vice chair. The Hot Docs board also comprises Doug Allison; Caroline Harvey; Merit Jensen-Carr; Lea Marin; Habiba Nosheen; Noah Segal; and Marc Serpa Francoeur.
This year’s festival saw a 14% increase in single ticket revenue and a 3% increase in festival attendance. Hot Docs recently struck a programming partnership with Soulpepper Theatre this fall/winter; expanded offerings for the 2026-27 Doc Soup screening season; and provided $121,000 in Hot Docs-Slaight Family Fund funding for five Canadian projects.
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