HOTDOCS 2008 FILM FEST DIARY

4-28-2008 - It's a wrap! (despite missing the last day) 4-26-2008 - A couple of boy movies that leave Vickie on a meh note 4-25-2008 - Elvis Mitchell and an abrupt transit strike! 4-24-2008 - Asshat fest-goers and misguided artists 4-23-2008 - 4-year-old filmmakers and gaming geeks 4-22-2008 - BASE jumping and Russian ballerinas 4-21-2008 - Creepy Australian cults and six-fingered dwarf pirates 4-20-2008 - Female boxers and Neil Diamond/Patsy Cline tribute acts 4-19-2008 - Competitive preschoolers and lovelorn lesbians 4-18-2008 - Anvil!, plus lots of films that make Vickie weep Check out daily postings in Moviepie Musings!

It's sophomore year!

After totally loving my inaugural HotDocs experience at last year's festival, I am approaching this year's festivities armed with a new sense of familiarity and a brain ready to enjoy whatever these documentaries throw my way.

2008 marks the fest's 15th year, and there are a ton (170+) of films on deck. (For the full scoop, including info on tickets and venues, visit their official website.) Among the ones I'm personally looking forward to catching are: Nursery University, which examines the demands of preschool enrollment in NYC; Emoticons, which looks at teen girls online; Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go, which follows a group of troubled kids at a "last chance" boarding school in Britain; and Be Like Others, which is about a cultural phenomenon in Iran whereby gay men seek sex-change operations in order to be with their (male) lovers without being executed.

I learned last year that loading up my schedule with "moving," "heartwarming," "touching" or "powerful" films means I will be emotionally exhausted by fest's end, so I've tried to choose accordingly this year... peppering my more serious picks with some light-hearted (or, at least, not gut-wrenching) fare. I've got my snacks ready to go, and will do my best to avoid any hint of PFS.

As usual, this diary will be updated daily. Fresh ‘Pie will be served over at the Moviepie Musings blog, so check there first for the most up-to-date recaps.

In the meantime, the weather looks like it'll be great, I've got my shiny press pass ready to go...so I'll see you at the movies!

- Vickie

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