‘Hot Docs’ Festival offers free daytime entry for seniors

Zoomer | January 1st, 2006

It’s freebie time for seniors and students for daytime screenings at Hot Docs, Canada’s international documentary film festival.

The festival runs from Monday, May 1st to Sunday, May 7th in Toronto.

Over 80 documentaries from Canada and around the world are scheduled in both daytime and evening shows.

It’s the seventh year for the event. This year, there’s a ‘Spotlight on Australia’ programme and a retrospective of the work of two noted American documentary filmmakers.

Some of the categories:

SPOTLIGHT ON AUSTRALIA:

 The documentary programme promises to look beyond the myths of koalas, kangaroos and BBQ’s. There’s also a film maker discussion on Tuesday afternoon about the style of Australian documentaries. This session takes place at the Bar Italia on College Street and is free of charge to everyone. (No word on what the beer of choice will be.)


LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RETROSPECTIVE: For over 30 years, veteran
American filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus have captured defining moments of legendary musicians, politicians and personalities.

Pennemaker’s first notabldocumentary was Don’t Look Back, a profile of Bob Dylan, just before he became a superstar. It’s regarded as one of the great rock music classics and broke box office records in 1967.

He and Hegedus made The War Room, a documentary about Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign in 1992.

Hegedus also edited Pennebaker’s filming of the town hall session with author Norman Mailer and feminist Germaine Greer. Titled Town Bloody Hall, it’s a revealing look at the war between the sexes, early 70’s style.

Both Pennebaker and Hegedus will attend the festival.

CANADIAN NOMINEE PROGRAMME:

 Showings of 47 Canadian documentaries nominated from a field of 300 entries. These include biographies on such Canadians as the late guitarist, Lenny Breau and media boss Ted Rogers. There are also many familiar Canadian political and cultural themes in the films scheduled.


INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE: Premiers of 23 films from around the globe—from Appalachia to New Guinea, Slovenia to South Africa.

Seniors can either get their free tickets for daytime screenings at the Royal Cinema, 608 College Street in Toronto or show up at the theatre at screening time and show their ID.

Tickets for Carlton screenings are available at the Carlton Cinemas on May 6 and 7.

For those purchasing tickets, it’s $5.00 for a single screening or $50.00 for a full screening pass.

More information and a complete schedule for all screenings is available on the Hot Docs website (see below) or by calling 416-203-2155.