A few days ago, I alluded to something I was working on that I “couldn’t talk about” and so I’m glad that now I am able to tell you about it. I’m very honoured to reveal that I’m working for the 2009 edition of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival as an Associate Programmer. I’ve attended the festival each year since 2004, and have always wondered how films are chosen. Director of Programming Sean Farnel has been posting about the process over on his fairly new blog, and it’s a fascinating read. It’s even more exciting, though, to be a part of it, and I’m tremendously grateful to Sean and his whole amazing crew for such a wonderful opportunity.
Though I’m not able to reveal anything about the films I’m currently screening, I can let you know that it’s been pretty gruelling so far. Each submission deserves careful consideration and I’m happy to report that Hot Docs’ process gives each film its chance to shine. I’m hopeful that at least some of the films I’ve recommended make it into the final schedule, but I won’t know for many weeks yet.
If you live within traveling distance of Toronto, Hot Docs really is a can’t-miss festival. Even if you’ve never considered yourself a fan of documentaries, you’re bound to come away with a fresh appreciation for all the dedicated and talented filmmakers telling stories about real people and places. Free from celebrity hype, manageable in size, and an amazing value. What’s not to love?
P.S. Documentary filmmaker and blogger AJ Schnack wrote about the festival programming process yesterday and cites Sean’s blog as “a primer that any filmmaker should read.”
Tagged as:
#hotdocs09
BLAST! is an intriguing documentary about a team of astrophysicists who travel to both poles in an effort to launch a massive telescope from a hot air balloon to discover more about the origins of the universe. The film originally premiered at Hot Docs in 2008 and is airing in Canada on the Discovery Channel on Friday February 21st at 7:30pm EST.
Doc blogger Agnes Varnum caught the film at the Sheffield Doc Fest in November and called it:
a movie about a scientific project but it is also about learning through trial and error, about what we know and don’t know about the universe, and also a smattering of faith in science.
Toronto science blogger Eva Amsen was also enthusiastic:
All in all, BLAST! was a blast! I loved that it was so very much focused on the work, not just on the results. The film had some animations to explain basic astrophysics concepts, but it also showed what the actual measurements from the telescope looked like (just graphs and numbers) and it emphasized how much work there was still left in actually interpreting the data. There are also some great shots of scientists being either sad or happy depending on how the research went that day, and everyone being bored and irritated when they have to wait for the weather to change. That’s science in action.
I respect the opinions of both of these women, and therefore I’m looking forward very much to seeing BLAST! If you’re at all interested in seeing real scientists at work, and wondering about the curiosity that drives them to the ends of the earth in search of knowledge, you won’t want to miss this broadcast.
Official site of the film
Trailer
Tagged as:
antarctica,
arctic,
canada,
faith,
physics,
science
