Daniel Montgomery

Matt and Mara

Mara, a young creative writing professor, is struggling with problems in her marriage to an experimental musician. One day, Matt, a charismatic, free-spirited author from her past, wanders onto her university campus. Bonded by their shared interests, the two gradually become closer. When Mara’s husband unexpectedly cancels plans to drive her to an out-of-town conference, Matt accompanies Mara on the trip instead. Along the way, the tension surrounding their undefined relationship slowly grows.

The Maiden

Amidst multiple disappearances, the lives of three suburban teenagers cosmically intertwine around their local ravine - as they grapple with grief, loneliness, and unexpected friendship.

Anne at 13,000 Ft.

Anne hasn't been the same since the jump. While skydiving for her best friend Sarah's bachelorette party, the 27-year-old felt focused, free, above it all. Back on the ground, the pressures of her daily life threaten to overwhelm her.

August 22, This Year

A meditation on death, a collective acceptance of mortality and a warm embrace for the present.

Helltown

In 1974, President Ford ordered the evacuation of Boston, OH. Theories as to why included the cover up of a mutation-causing chemical spill; extreme paranormal activity; and Boston being taken over by a satanic cult. But what really happened in Helltown?

Fail to Appear

Isolde is a support caseworker trainee working in Toronto. She’s still adjusting to the protocols and challenges of her job when she’s assigned to Eric, a man charged with theft and awaiting a court hearing.

In the Name of All Canadians

Hot Docs will commemorate Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation with the commissioning of In the Name of All Canadians, a compilation of six short documentaries inspired by Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. From Indigenous rights to multiculturalism to the controversial ‘notwithstanding clause,’ participating filmmakers have each selected a specific aspect of the Charter to explore, looking at how it resonates in the stories of their fellow Canadians.

Scaffold

Recent immigrants to Canada, working on scaffolding break the routine of their job by observing the people in the the neighbourhood from a unique, precarious and ephemeral vantage point.

How Heavy This Hammer

Follows a middle-aged married man who finds his only outlet is online gaming.

Life After Death from Above 1979

A documentary about the history and reformation of Toronto punk band Death from Above 1979.

Cutaway

Cutaway portrays a phase in the life of a single young man as he works as a labourer, pursues relationships with women, and comes to terms with a life changing event. Told through close details of hands and objects, this film intimately portrays uncertainty and loss.

Tower

Tower centres on a thirty-four year old man, Derek, who lives at home with his parents in Toronto, Canada. Unlike his married brother who is expecting a baby, Derek is single and without a career. Although he aspires to become a graphic-animator, he works part-time at his uncle’s construction company. Late at night he wanders the street alone and frequents nightclubs in search of companionship. Derek suddenly finds himself in an intimate relationship with a woman he meets, Nicole. When a neighbourhood raccoon becomes a constant nuisance by tearing up his family’s garbage, Derek sets out to catch it.

Green Crayons

The more they spit, the more they enjoy themselves. But when the teacher arrives, Xavier and Liam are moulded by their actions.

Woman Waiting

A middle-aged woman is faced with poverty. As she struggles to find help in the system, her only option is to wait.

Out in That Deep Blue Sea

A real estate agent encounters a slump late in his career. Exhibiting questionable behaviour, he struggles to find balance between his professional obligations and personal relationships.

Princess Margaret Blvd.

An introduction to Isabelle, as she defiantly confronts the frustration, confusion and loneliness that are the effects of Alzheimer’s.

Nakuru Song

Told from the perspectives of local residents, Nakuru Song provides a first-person look at a country where hope is struggling to survive against monumental complacency. While Ken coaches a football team to keep boys off the street and James works tirelessly at the Melon Orphanage, countless other Kenyans live on: legions of children sniff glue to avoid hunger, other collect scrap metals for their income, and middle-aged men mix formaldehyde and jet fuel to create the "illicit brew."

Assault

A teenager attempts to keep his composure following a reckless crime.