It’s Hot Docs season again, the festival will be unspooling some 115 films in 2026, and my initial to-check-out list was some 60+ strong. Meep! Blame a welcome uptick in documentaries on topics to which I’m drawn — science, technology, artists, entertainment, women, and the environment. Here are 11 I can’t wait to check out at the festival this year!
Ghost in the Machine
AI already scares the ever-living bejesus outta me, so I’m not sure why I feel compelled to see this exploration of its surprisingly sinister origins — namely, being tied to eugenics and racism. I don’t need more nightmare fuel, but I’m also a sucker for any documentary dissecting technology.
It’s Dorothy!
Speaking of nightmare fuel: flying monkeys, anyone? Memories of petrifying primates aside, I’m hoping this film will be a whimsical and magical and, perhaps, unexpectedly educational cinematic journey revisiting the many iterations of The Wizard of Oz, and the cultural legacy of its plucky pony-tailed heroine.
Kindergarten
Because the difficult subject matter in so many Hot Docs films can be rough on the spirit, I always seek out films that look like they’ll land squarely in the “feel-good” category, and I’m bracing for off-the-charts cuteness and probably more than a little tugging at the heart in this doc that follows one- to five-year-old kids in a Québec daycare.
Love Apptually
I do love a good pun, so this tech-centric documentary from director Shalini Kantayya (TikTok, Boom.) — about online-dating platforms, algorithm-based connections, and the pursuit of romance in the digital age — already wins for best play-on-words title.
Maintenance Artist
Films about art and artists (and activism) often land on my to-see list, so it’s not surprising that this profile of Mierle Laderman Ukeles, who’s been the artist in residence for New York City’s sanitation department (!) for almost 50 years (!!) immediately made the cut this year.
The Oldest Person in the World
In addition to me (hopefully) cribbing some lessons on living a long and healthy life, I feel like director Sam Green’s 10-years-in-the-making film about aging and the assorted Guinness World Record “oldest person in the world” title holders will reveal itself to be the perfect bookend, or companion feature, for Kindergarten.
Public Access
Before there was YouTube or TikTok, there was public-access TV. I have so many fond memories of the wild, weird and wacky programming that used to air on my local channel that I can’t wait to dive into this look at the colorful and controversial history of the anything-goes low-fi platform in the U.S.
The Secret Reading Club of Kabul
As I say every year: I love films about women kicking ass. So, earmarking this doc about a group of young women in Afghanistan, who form a covert book club as a way of continuing their education and kinship amid the Taliban’s repressive rule, is a no-brainer for me.
Steal This Story, Please!
Has there ever been a more important time than now to examine the importance of independent media, factual reporting, freedom of the press, and speaking truth to power? I can’t think of one, which is why I’m super-excited to see this profile of Democracy Now! creator Amy Goodman.
Time and Water
It’s always hard to tell in advance how much a documentary will actually match the promise of its official synopsis, but it sure sounds like this look at how time and climate change are shaping the Icelandic landscape and what will remain for future generations is right up my alley.
The Tower That Built a City
As a native Torontonian, how could I not be super-stoked to devour this retrospective look at the evolution of my city, and how the CN Tower helped define and amplify the local identity? The famous-Torontonians and archival footage alone already have me giddy!
Click here for the full lineup of films screening at the fest, and to snag your tickets!
For more of Moviepie’s coverage of Hot Docs 2026, click here!
