Toronto was a-buzz Thursday evening at the kick off the popular Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival.  North America’s essential international documentary market event, this year’s Festival is comprised of 232 films from 51 countries; 61 of those films are Canadian. 2017 is a major year for the ever-growing Festival, not only because submissions […]The post Hot Docs Film Festival Kicks Off With World Premiere in Toronto appeared first on Pursuitist.

Toronto was a-buzz Thursday evening at the kick off the popular Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival.  North America’s essential international documentary market event, this year’s Festival is comprised of 232 films from 51 countries; 61 of those films are Canadian.2017 is a major year for the ever-growing Festival, not only because submissions continue in staggering numbers, but also because — due to a $5 million grant that enabled Hot Docs to purchase the theatre which had served as its home base — Thursday’s opening was the first opening night to occur in the new Hot Docs Ted Rogers cinema.Hot Docs 2017 kicked off with a world premiere screening of the anticipated Bee Nation.  The inspiring documentary follows Kahkewistahaw First Nation Reserve students as they prepare to compete, for the first time, in Canada’s National Spelling Bee.  The story shares the tensions involved in the competition as well as an intimate depiction o...