Hot Docs’ Hot Guests

The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival (www.hotdocs.ca) continues through May 6 and has been a hotbed of intriguing documentaries and personalities this year. The Festival has welcomed a number of special guests, including rock star Rick Springfield, director Jennifer Lynch, video game creator Phil Fish, war photographer Don McCullin, artist and Pee-wee’s Playhouse puppeteer Wayne White, and Dahmer-case detective Pat Kennedy, all of whom are featured in films at the Festival, which runs April 26 to May 6. In addition, 146 directors – a record number – are in attendance at the Festival to introduce their films and participate in post-screening audience Q&As. The participants list of documentary subjects who have come to the Festival includes:

• Rick Springfield from AN AFFAIR OF THE HEART (Sylvia Caminer, USA) – Rock star Rick Springfield is well known for pop mega-hits like “Jessie’s Girl” and from his stint as General Hospital’s Noah Drake.

• Wayne White from BEAUTY IS EMBARRASSING (Neil Berkeley, USA) – Wayne White began as a humble puppeteer and went on to become a co-creator of Pee-wee’s Playhouse and a celebrated artist.

• Karen Winther from THE BETRAYAL (Karen Winther, UK, Norway) – Winther turns the camera on herself in a first-person exposé of her darkest moments.

• Fredrik Gertten from BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!* (Fredrik Gertten, Sweden) – Gertten chronicles the lawsuit led by a multi-national food giant that attempted to quash the release of his film BANANAS!*

• Qi Moxiang from CHINA HEAVYWEIGHT (Yung Chang, Canada/China) – A state boxing coach, Qi Moxiang searches for young boys with raw talent who he hopes to shape into champions.

• Jennifer Lynch from DESPITE THE GODS (Penny Vozniak, Australia) – Daughter of cult film auteur David Lynch, director Jennifer Lynch’s Bollywood/Hollywood production puts her to the test.

• Dawn “Godiva” Maetas from GLOW: THE STORY OF THE GORGEOUS LADIES OF WRESTLING (Brett Whitcomb, USA) – Appearing in seasons three and four, Godiva is one of Glow’s gorgeous ladies of wrestling.

• Nina Conti from HER MASTER’S VOICE (Nina Conti , UK) – An acclaimed ventriloquist and comedian, Nina Conti receives news that her mentor has bequeathed to her his collection of dummies.

• Jackie Sumell from HERMAN’S HOUSE (Angad Singh Bhalla, Canada) – Artist and activist Jackie Sumell asks imprisoned Black Panther Herman Wallace to collaborate on an art project by imagining his dream house.

• Phil Fish from INDIE GAME: THE MOVIE (James Swirsky, Lisanne Pajot, Canada) – The creator of video game Fez, Phil Fish is a gifted game-maker from Montreal.

• Gustav Hofer and Luca Ragazzi from ITALY LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT (Gustav Hofer, Luca Ragazzi, Italy) – These two filmmakers take a six-month road trip across Italy.

• Pat Kennedy from JEFF (Chris James Thompson, USA) – When brought in for questioning, infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer confessed to Detective Kennedy.

• Ewan MacKinnon from THE KID AND THE CLOWN (Ida Grøn, Denmark) – Better known as Angus the Clown, Ewan MacKinnon brings joy to hospital patients.

• Don McCullin from MCCULLIN (Jacqui Morris, UK) – To many, Don McCullin is the greatest living war photographer.

• Sami Helle, Pertti Kurikka, and Toni Välitallo from THE PUNK SYNDROME (Jukka Kärkkäinen, J-P Passi,  Finland) – Bassist Sami Helle , guitarist Pertti Kurikka and drummer Toni Välitallo are three quarters of the punk rock band Pertti Kurikka’s Name Day.

• Radioman from RADIOMAN (Mary Kerr, UK) – A fixture on NYC film sets, Radioman is a celebrity’s celebrity.

• Wu Tsang from WILDNESS (Wu Tsang, USA) – Director and L.A. performance artist Wu Tsang co-founded the popular weekly party called Wildness.

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