The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is the largest North American documentary festival, conference, and market, through which over 200 films from all over the world are presented annually. Hot Docs celebrates the art of documentary filmmaking through its outstanding showcases and by creating production opportunities for documentary filmmakers. This year, the festival takes place between April 25 and May 5. Four B.C. films are among its unique programming:
Featuring five of the world’s best sleight-of-hand artists, LOST IN THE SHUFFLE explores the remarkable 400-year relationship between magicians and cards. World champion and fourth-generation magician, Shawn Farquhar, is on a quest to uncover the origin of the King of Hearts card, sometimes called the “Suicide King”, and the sinister rumor behind it. Through visits to some of the most famous card technicians, Farquhar observes their best illusions and attempts to solve a 500-year-old murder case.
Still from CURL POWER
CURL POWER follows the 4KGIRL$ – Hannah, Brooklyn, Savannah, Ashley, and Amy – from suburban British Columbia as they push their limits on and off the ice to become the Canadian Junior Curling Champions. Amid rigorous training and the competition schedule and with three of their moms as their coaches, they also face the familiar adolescent rites of passage: part-time jobs, college applications, and dating. CURL POWER is a thoughtful observational portrait about coming-of-age, friendship, and overcoming adversity.
Ari Kinarthy is an accomplished music composer living with type-2 spinal muscular atrophy, a condition that continuously weakens his muscles. Having an acute awareness of his own mortality, Ari undertakes a new composition inspired by his life’s most treasured moments to tell his story and leave an impactful legacy behind. ARI’S THEME showcases the extraordinary beauty that emerges from the desire to connect with others on a profoundly human and emotional level through art.
Still from YINTAH
YINTAH, which is the Wet’suwet’en word for ‘land’, follows Howilhkat Freda Huson and Sleydo’ Molly Wickham as they mobilize their nation in a decade-long battle against fossil fuel corporations, the government, and the police. YINTAH is an urgent call to climate justice action as it follows Wet’suwet’en’s growing resistance against the proposed series of gas and oil pipeline projects.
The complete festival programming can be found on the Hot Docs website.
