Unrest
Jennifer Brea, once a journalist and a Harvard PhD candidate, spends almost every day of her life in bed. She is one of the millions of people worldwide who suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, an illness with no known cause or cure. As heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, the documentary Unrest is Jennifer’s attempt to bring awareness to an illness that doctors would rather pretend it doesn’t exist.
(photo: Rat Film)
Rat Film
Baltimore, Maryland has a rat problem. But according to an exterminator featured in the documentary Rat Film, “There ain’t never been a rat problem in Baltimore. It’s a people problem.” Young filmmaker Theo Anthony directs his first feature Rat Film, a quirky documentary that tries to get to the root of the Baltimore rat problem and finds a vast history of institutionalized racism.
(photo: Girl Inside – Madison and grandmother Vivien)
Girl Inside
With the help of her grandmother, mother and boyfriend, Madison goes through the process of transitioning into a woman. Filmed over two years of Madison’s life, Girl Inside challenges the intergenerational concepts of gender and explores how it affects one’s relationships.
(photo: Loving Lorna)
Loving Lorna
Tall apartment buildings tower over a young woman as she rides her horse across the street. The film Loving Lorna, co-directed by sisters Annika and Jessica Karlsson, is full of these otherworldly images. Set in Ballymun, a Dublin community known for its deep rooted horse culture, the documentary follows teenager Lorna and her quest to become one of the first female farriers.
(photo: Mermaids – From L-R: Ashton Larson, Alisha Sweeting, Wesley Christian, Marissa Alice Martin, Sandra Rozar, Laura Anne Maturo, Julz Owen, Sara Sweica, and Chelsea Holifield on Huntington Beach, California.)
Mermaids
Almost every little girl at one point has wished they were a mermaid. For some, that dream never dies. In her film Mermaids, filmmaker Ali Weinstein documents the lives of several women who identify as contemporary mermaids. With breathtaking cinematography and beautiful underwater choreography, Weinstein explores the formation of a community inspired by an age-old mythical creature.
Hot Docs runs now until May 7. Catch more coverage on Movie Mixtape – Fridays at 10AM.
