Maybe it’s a product of the erosion of society’s collective attention span or maybe it’s because the caliber of short documentaries continues to rise every year, but some of the best docs I’ve seen at recent fests have all been under an hour long. And this year’s Hot Docs selections include a half-dozen short and mid-length films that look fabulous!
Aerobic Corridor
Women pushing themselves to the limit by competing in a grueling winter sporting event? This documentary had me at hello.
BAEA
One of my fave films at recent fests was Every Little Thing, about hummingbird rehabber Terry Masear, so a doc about the pros and cons of rehabilitating injured or sick bald eagles has my name all over it.
The Baker’s Hotline
Something else that has my name all over it? BAKING! I love to bake, so I’m excited for this look at how King Arthur Flour’s helpline provides both advice and a valuable social lifeline to its callers.
Elephant Families
What makes me want to see this short? The fact that it’s about neither elephants nor families. It’s an historical chronicle of a soon-to-be-demolished shopping mall in South London!
Fletcher Street
I feel like this story of a horseback-riding club for inner-city youth in North Philadelphia will be one of those “this could have been a feature-length film!” documentaries.
Sanyi the Rooster
This is a documentary about a Hungarian rooster who unites a community. Enough said.
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!
