Hussain Currimbhoy is the new Artistic Director at Toronto’s Hot Docs. The filmmaker takes the helm from Shane Smith, who left in June. Currimbhoy will begin his role immediately. He’ll lead programming for the upcoming 2024 Hot Docs Festival, held between April 25-May 5 in Canada next year.
The job also gives him responsibility for Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Toronto’s Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema and Docs for Schools, the organization’s national educational program.
Currimbhoy was born in Toronto and has worked as a film producer, director and film curator since 2002. He was executive producer on feature documentaries such as And, Towards Happy Alleys, Praying For Armageddon, Tomorrow’s Freedom and The Beloved and was the CMP’s Director of Investment and Global Strategy.
As a film programer he has worked for the likes of Sundance Film Festival, Sheffield DocFest, Melbourne International Film Festival, Nordisk Panorama Film Festival, Doc 10 and the Red Sea International Film Festival. This year he created and launched the Gåsebäck Film Festival, an independent film event in Helsingborg, Sweden dedicated to showcasing international cinema, regional short films and filmmaker masterclasses.
“It is an absolute honour to take up this position with one of my favourite film festivals, and in my hometown, no less,” said Currimbhoy. “I must paraphrase poet and author Mahmoud Darwish to sum up how I feel about delivering a new vision for Hot Docs: ‘When you see something beautiful, it breaks walls down.’ Together with Hot Docs’ world-renowned programming team and a lot of bonhomie, we will do just that. Our aim is to deepen our Festival and year-round programming to provide even more opportunities for our audiences to engage with the best of documentary film in all its forms.
Hot Docs has also promoted Associate Director of Festival Programming Heather Haynes to Director of Festival Programming, effective immediately. She has worked at the organization for 17 years.
