Hot Docs 2022 kicks off on April 28, and this week we learned about some of the slated programming. There will be 15 special presentations, including world premieres like The Talented Mr. Rosenberg, which profiles Albert Rosenberg, aka the Yorkville Swindler, and his deceptive cons. An absolute must-see is TikTok, Boom. from Shalini Kantayya (Coded Bias). The 91-minute film looks at the power TikTok has gained over the past few years, and especially during global lockdowns, as well as its financial incentives. I Didn’t See You There will make its international premiere. The Sundance award-winner is shot entirely from the perspective of director Reid Davenport’s wheelchair, capturing the happenings outside of his apartment after a circus tent goes up.
Hot Docs also unveiled the 20 projects participating in the 2022 Forum. The entries come from 26 filmmakers, 14 of whom are women and 15 of whom are BIPOC, each representing 19 countries. The Forum is where filmmakers pitch their feature-length docs to potential investors. Creators will pre-record a seven-minute pitch video to be presented to the panel of investors. There will also be the option for select projects to set up one-on-one pitch meetings. Cash prizes, as well as funding will be offered to top picks. Panelists will include representatives from Al Jazeera, BBC Storyville, CBC, Disney+, Hulu, The Guardian, ESPN, Netfilix, The New York Times, the Sundance Film Institute, and TVO.
As per Realscreen: “The First Look program, a curated access program for philanthropic supporters of documentary filmmaking, will endow $100,000 to up to three projects, while the CMF-Hot Docs Forum Canadian Pitch Prize, presented in partnership with Canada Media Fund, will award $10,000 to the best Canadian project.”
The Forum line-up:
A Woman’s Path
Production companies: Seven Spring Pictures (Iran), Lukimedia (Spain)
Director: Marjan Khosravi
Producers: Milad Khosravi, Stephanie Von Lukowicz
Brief Tender Light
Production company: One Day I Too Go Fly Inc. (U.S.)
Director: Arthur Musah
Producers: Arthur Musah, Brook Turner
Gabriel
Production companies: CHUNK Filmproduktion GmbH (Germany), Avalia Studios GmbH (Germany), Tantor Films LTDA (Chile), Saboteur Media LLC (U.S.)
Director: Daniel Carsenty
Producers: Nicklas Krüger, Laia Gonzalez, Ingrid Bragemann
Executive producer: David Kennedy
Heaven Through the Backdoor
Production company: Mirabel Pictures 501(c)3 (U.S.)
Directors: Anna Fitch, Banker White
Producers: Heidi Fleisher, Sara Dosa
Untitled Labor Union Documentary
Production companies: Level Ground Productions LLC (U.S.), Oh Ratface Films (Canada)
Director: Brett Story
Producers: Mars Verrone, Samantha Curley
Let’s Play Soldiers
Production company: Let’s Play Soldiers LLC (Qatar)
Director: Mariam Al-Dhubhani
Producer: Mohammed Al-Jaberi
Life After
Production company: Multitude Films LLC (U.S.)
Director: Reid Davenport
Producers: Jessica Devaney, Colleen Cassingham
Matabeleland
Production companies: LBx Africa (Kenya), EyeSteelFilm (Canada)
Director: Nyasha Kadandara
Producers: Sam Soko, Bob Moore
Meteorite
Production company: Vindelfilm AB (Sweden)
Directors: Isabel Andersson, Johan Palmgren
Producer: Johan Palmgren
Milisuthando
Production company: The Good Black Project (Pty) Ltd (South Africa), Viso Producciones SAS (Colombia), Multitude Films LLC (U.S.)
Director: Milisuthando Bongela
Producers: Marion Isaacs, Sonia Barrera, Viviana Gómez Echeverry
Executive producers: Jessica Devaney, Anya Rous
Noor
Production company: Iota Production S.A. (Belgium), Tag Film SAS (France)
Director: Jérôme le Maire
Producer: Isabelle Truc
Out of Place
Production companies: Filmilia AB (Sweden), Mohammed Al-Majdalawi EF (Sweden)
Director: Mohammed Al-Madjalawi
Producers: Manolo Diaz Rämö, Beatrice Pourbagher Garcia, Mohammed Al-Majdalawi
Quiet the River
Production company: Shanghai Jiemian CLS Technologies Co., Ltd. (China)
Directors: Tiantian Wang, Zhizhe Chai
Producer: Kit Chung
Red Herring (w/t)
Production companies: Good Kid Films Ltd. (UK), Astrae Productions (Switzerland), Bungalow Town Productions Ltd. (UK)
Director: Kit Vincent
Producers: Ed Owles, Dea Gjinovci, Kit Vincent
Executive producers: Rachel Wexler, Jez Lewis
The Making of a Japanese
Production companies: Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) (Japan), Cineric Creative LLC (U.S.)
Director: Ema Ryan Yamazaki
Producer: Eric Nyari
The Queendom
Production company: Oscura Producciones S.A. de C.V. (Mexico)
Director: Otilia Portillo
Producers: Paula Arroio Sandoval
Executive producer: Elena Fortes
The White Doctor
Production company: Afrofilms International Limited (Kenya), Little Wing Films Limited (Ireland)
Director: Zippy Kimundu
Producer: Ciaran Cassidy
There Was, There Was Not
Production company: VernonFilms Ltd (UK)
Director: Emily Mkrtichian
Producer: Mara Adina
Time Hunter
Production companies: Waypoint Pictures LLC (U.S.), Topeka Pictures LLC (U.S.)
Directors: Daniel Chein, Mark Mushiva
Producers: David Felix Sutcliffe, Daniel Chein, Mark Mushiva
Without Arrows
Production company: Without Arrows LLC (U.S.)
Directors/Producers: Elizabeth Day, Jonathan Olshefski