PRESS RELEASE
Full Lineup Announced for Hot Docs Podcast Festival, November 1 to 5 Presented with lead sponsor CBC Podcasts
• Live performances of chart-topping podcasts including: LeVar Burton Reads, ESPN’S 30 for 30, Other People’s Problems, Thirst Aid Kit, StartUp, and more! • Two new Canadian showcase events hosted by CBC’s Podcast Playlist, bringing more than 10 of this country’s best podcasts to the stage for the first time • New industry Creators Forum to host leading international decision makers
Toronto, September 18, 2018 – Hot Docs is excited to announce that its third annual Podcast Festival will return to Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema this November. With an expanded five-day program this year’s Festival will feature 13 live podcast events and a new Creators Forum, the industry component of the event where global leaders in podcasting will share their knowledge and expertise on the rapidly-growing medium. Featuring celebrated podcasts like ESPN’S 30 for 30; LeVar Burton Reads LIVE!, the wildly popular show from the Reading Rainbow and Star Trek star; pioneering entrepreneurial podcast StartUp; the return of the true crime favourite Criminal and the #1 iTunes sleeper hit The Secret Life of Canada, this year’s Festival will dazzle audiences with exceptional and captivating live audio storytelling, while helping to nurture the growth and ingenuity of the podcasting industry. The Hot Docs Podcast Festival returns to Toronto from November 1 to 5.
As the interest in podcasting and the appetite for new content continues to grow, Hot Docs has enhanced the industry section of the Podcast Festival this year by introducing the new two-day Creators Forum, which will be held at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema and the Centre for Social Innovation Annex. Offering more learning, networking and market opportunities for attending producers and content creators, the Forum will feature several informative industry panels, masterclasses and roundtables led by key executives and decision makers from such international platforms as Gimlet Media, NPR, The New York Times, Stitcher, WNYC, This American Life and BBC as well as major Canadian executives from Canadaland, CBC, eOne and Corus. Designed to unite the global podcasting community and foster the development of the industry, the Creators Forum will establish the Festival as a hub for industry activity and Toronto as an incubator for innovation in audio storytelling.
“When we conceived of the Festival in 2016, our goals were modest. We love podcasts and were looking for a reason to bring some of our favourites to the cinema,” said Alan Black, managing director of Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. “Three years later we’ve wildly surpassed our initial intent; the Festival is fulfilling its potential to play a significant role in bringing audiences and audio storytellers together in a way that hasn’t really happened yet in Canada. With this year’s Festival we’re able to build on the success of the previous two and bring some of the best storytelling to our stage in the hopes that it will find rabid new fans, both here at home and internationally.”
"This year's Festival features an expanded lineup of amazing podcasts that demonstrate the creative potential of this medium,” said Hot Docs Podcast Festival lead programmer, Will Di Novi. “We're presenting a wider range of genres than ever before, and hosting internationally acclaimed shows from the US and UK that Canadian audiences have never had the chance to see in person. Above all, we're
WWW.HOTDOCS.CA
PRESS RELEASE excited to showcase the range and diversity of the podcasting talent here in Canada, with greater representation of homegrown podcast producers and two specially curated variety shows that will feature beloved podcasts from BC to the Maritimes.”
Participating podcasts: • The Allusionist • Other People's Problems • Canada's Podcast All-Stars: Opening • Reveal Night / Closing Night • Rewatchability • Criminal featuring This is Love • The Secret Life of Canada • ESPN's 30 for 30 • StartUp • LeVar Burton Reads LIVE! • Thirst Aid Kit • Nancy
Creators Forum: • Panel: How to Make It in Canada • Panel: NPR and CBC Original Podcasts in Conversation • Panel: The Art of the Interview • Panel: How the News Should Sound: Original Podcasting at The New York Times • Panel: From Pitch to Podcast: Developing New Shows at WNYC and Gimlet Media • Panel: Funny Business: Comedy Podcasting at Stitcher and Earwolf • Masterclass: The Sound of Europe • Masterclass: Revealing Canada's Darkest Stories with Thunder Bay's Ryan McMahon and Jesse Brown
Visit the website at www.hotdocscinema.ca/podcast
LIVE PODCAST EVENT LINEUP
Thursday, November 1
6:00 PM Canada’s Podcast All-Stars: Opening Night Extravaganza Presented by CBC’s Podcast Playlist Kick off the Festival in style with the first of two special showcases featuring popular podcasts from across the country presented live by CBC’s Podcast Playlist. Hosted and produced by Matt Galloway and Lindsay Michael, this interactive, variety show-style event will feature the rich voices of storytellers from coast-to- coast, as well as timely and thought-provoking conversations with special guests. This is your chance to discover the extraordinary range and diversity of Canada’s podcast talent all under one roof. Featuring: First Day Back (Montreal), Nobody Cares (Except for Me) (Toronto), Tai Asks Why (Toronto), Personal Best (Toronto) and Red Man Laughing (Winnipeg).
WWW.HOTDOCS.CA
PRESS RELEASE
9:00 PM Nancy Hailed as a top podcast by Entertainment Weekly and TIME, Nancy is WNYC's beloved show about the LGBTQ experience today. Co-hosts and best friends Tobin Low and Kathy Tu have frank conversations, share poignant stories, and undertake what VICE calls “a gentle investigation into the courage it takes to live outside social norms.” Prepare to laugh and cry (and laugh again) as Kathy and Tobin investigate how we define ourselves and the weird, funny, and poignant journeys we take to get there.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2
6:30 PM LeVar Burton Reads LIVE! You may recognize LeVar Burton from his roles in Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation, but many remember him best as the host the iconic children’s show Reading Rainbow, which inspired young readers for over 20 years. Today, LeVar continues to share his passion for storytelling—only this time, with adults! LeVar Burton Reads invites us to take a break from our daily lives and dive into great short story as only he can bring to life. Join the legendary actor for a live reading featuring musical accompaniment and a special guest appearance by a local author. Past live shows have featured stories by Ursula K. Le Guin, Charlie Jane Anders, Nnedi Okorafor, and James McBride.
9:30 PM Thirst Aid Kit Lust is a feeling. And thirst? Well, it's the performance of that feeling. On Buzzfeed's hit podcast Thirst Aid Kit, culture critics Bim Adewunmi and Nichole Perkins explore the public ways women express desire, offering savvy and hilarious analysis of everything from John Cho's hands to Keanu Reeves' legs to Chris Evans'...everything. At this first-ever Canadian thirst-a-thon, they'll dissect the work of the hottest celebrities in film and TV, deliver personalized thirst prescriptions for audience members and special guests, and perform the romantic fanfic (aka "sexy drabbles") that have made the podcast famous.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3
12:00 PM StartUp A pioneering show about what it’s really like to start a business, StartUp launched podcasting juggernaut Gimlet Media and put this exciting new medium on the international map. At this first-ever live performance in Canada, co-host and senior producer Eric Mennel, who helmed the show’s recent season on the rise of religious startups, will present a never-before-heard story and give us a sneak preview of StartUp’s hotly anticipated fall season in a special Skype Q&A with co-host Lisa Chow.
4:00 PM ESPN’S 30 for 30 Since debuting at #1 on iTunes Charts last year, this innovative podcast from the team behind ESPN’s Emmy Award-winning 30 for 30 has won legions of followers with its spellbinding stories from the world of sports and beyond. From the tale of an accused murderer who became a world-renowned boxer to its
WWW.HOTDOCS.CA
PRESS RELEASE binge-worthy season on the cult-like rise of Bikram Yoga, 30 for 30 is producing inspired audio storytelling that delights sports fans and general interest listeners alike.
8:30 PM Criminal featuring This is Love Phoebe Judge and Lauren Spohrer’s award-winning podcast Criminal remains the medium’s most consistently gripping show on the hows and whys of crime. Their new collaboration This is Love is a spinoff series on the mysteries of the heart and has been hailed as one of the year’s most exciting debuts. In this one-of-a-kind event, True Crime will meet True Love as Phoebe and Lauren present new stories from both podcasts with the live scoring and stunning animations that make their live shows one of the hottest tickets on the international podcast circuit.
11:30 PM Shaun of the Dead – Late-Night Screening with Rewatchability Grab a drink, load up on some popcorn, and get ready to fight zombies at this special late-night screening of Shaun of the Dead hosted by Rewatchability, a podcast dedicated to re-visiting movies of the past to see how they hold up today. With the spooky spirit of Halloween still in the air, there’s no better time to celebrate the now-classic “zomromcom” that turned British filmmaking trio Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost into household names—and gave way to cult hits like Hot Fuzz and The World’s End. Play “spot the Cornetto” and join hosts J.M. McNab, Blain Watters, and Rob Laronde for a riotous viewing experience featuring trivia and drinking games on the Podcast Festival stage.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4
12:30 PM The Allusionist Award-winning British podcast The Allusionist is a word-lover’s dream. Since launching The Allusionist in 2015, Helen Zaltzman has been rumbling with language with infectious verve and a generous helping of pop culture. In this Canadian debut she brings her irreverent, effortlessly informative show to our stage with live musical support from collaborator Martin Austwick. Set aside those Sunday crosswords and join her for a fascinating adventure into the world we make with words.
4:30 PM Reveal For decades, Al Letson has explored race in America as a journalist, playwright, performer, and now, as host of Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX. Reveal Live: The Center Will Not Hold weaves together the stories of white nationalists, Trump administration insiders and leaders across the political spectrum, along with Al’s own story of growing up African-American in Florida. The result is a combination of in-depth journalism and dramatic theatre that reveals the deep roots and motivations that are fueling eruptions of hate and extremism in America.
WWW.HOTDOCS.CA
PRESS RELEASE
8:30 PM Other People’s Problems Normally, therapy sessions are totally confidential—but this chart-topping podcast from CBC is opening the doors, one episode at a time. Other People’s Problems aims to demystify mental health by taking listeners inside real therapy sessions. No actors. No auditions. No artifice. This is what people really sound like when they talk about giving birth, difficult break-ups and tough childhoods. Join Vancouver-based therapist, author and host Hillary McBride as she guides us through a special live encounter with a client and talks candidly with the audience and a panel of mental health experts about the personal journeys we take towards healing.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5
6:00 PM Canada’s Podcast All-Stars: Closing Night Spectacular Presented by CBC’s Podcast Playlist Close the Festival with a bang at this second of two special programmes featuring top podcasts from across Canada presented live on the Hot Docs stage by CBC’s Podcast Playlist. Hosted and produced by Matt Galloway and Lindsay Michael, this fun variety show-style event will feature the rich voices of storytellers from coast-to-coast, as well as timely and thought-provoking conversations with special guests. Experience the extraordinary range and diversity of Canada’s podcast talent as Matt and Lindsay emcee this thrilling showcase of audio storytelling all-stars. Featuring: Uncover: Escaping NXIVM (Vancouver/Toronto), Sickboy (Halifax) and The Shadows (Toronto).
9:00 PM The Secret Life of Canada What do we talk about when we talk about Canada? In the wake of the Canada 150 celebrations, local playwrights and history nerds Leah-Simone Bowen and Falen Johnson agreed it was time to look at our nation’s untold and under-told histories. The Secret Life of Canada was born and quickly rose to the top of the iTunes charts with its highly entertaining and brilliantly subversive selection of stories— from what lies beneath Banff National Park to our country's mysterious wave of feminist bear porn. Meet the fascinating places and characters you didn't learn about in school brought to thrilling life on stage by two of our most dynamic storytellers.
CREATORS FORUM LINEUP
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1
9:00 AM PANEL: How to Make It in Canada Have an important story to tell but not sure how to develop your podcasting skills and get your story into the world? Check in with three accomplished Canadian podcasters and learn what talented and resourceful storytellers across the country are doing to create compelling content and get their podcasts made and heard. • Vicky Mochama, host of the Safe Space podcast and co-founder of Toronto’s Vocal Fry Studios
WWW.HOTDOCS.CA
PRESS RELEASE
• Ryan McMahon, host of Red Man Laughing and Canadaland Commons, and founder of Indian & Cowboy, a listener-supported Indigenous podcast network • Annalise Nielsen, podcast producer for eOne and host of The Unconditional Podcast • Moderated by Hannah Sung, Executive Producer for Podcasts and Digital Video at TVO and former host of The Globe and Mail’s Colour Code podcast
10:30 AM PANEL: NPR and CBC Original Podcasts in Conversation Explore the creative and commercial decisions that have produced award-winning original podcasts like NPR’s Invisibilia, Hidden Brain and Code Switch, and the CBC’s Someone Knows Something, Uncover: Escaping NXIVM and Personal Best. Hear two of North America’s top podcast executives describe what it takes to build high-profile shows for a national audience, and the kinds of stories and skill sets they are looking for from the next generation of talented podcasters. • N'Jeri Eaton, Senior Manager of Programming Acquisitions at National Public Radio • Leslie Merklinger, Senior Director of Audio Innovation, CBC • Moderated by Nick Quah, Podcast Critic for New York Magazine and editor of Hot Pod, the trade newsletter for the podcast industry
12:00 PM PANEL: The Art of the Interview Join three of North America’s most dynamic podcast hosts for an in-depth discussion on the art and craft of great podcast interviews. Learn how they prepare for conversations, draw out their subjects and lay the groundwork for unforgettable stories. • Tobin Low, host of WNYC Studios’ Nancy • Kaitlin Prest, host of CBC’s Shadows and the Prix D’Italia-winning podcast The Heart • Vish Khanna, host of eOne’s Kreative Kontrol • Moderated by Sean Cole, Senior Producer for This American Life
2:00 PM CREATORS FORUM ROUNDTABLES: Session 1 Get to know the Festival’s leading podcast producers and executives at these dynamic micro-sessions. Gain expert feedback on your latest projects and pick the brains of world-renowned decision-makers before rotating on to the next table and expert in the room. • Sean Cole, Senior Producer for This American Life • Katie Jensen & Vicky Mochama, co-founders of Toronto’s Vocal Fry Studios • Arif Noorani, Executive Producer of CBC Original Podcasts • Elisha Sessions, Senior Commissioning Producer, BBC Podcasts, and more!
WWW.HOTDOCS.CA
PRESS RELEASE
4:00 PM MASTERCLASS: The Sound of Europe Two of Europe’s most influential podcast producers discuss the award-winning original shows they are developing for national and international audiences. With some North American podcast studios now receiving as much as 30 per cent of their listenership from outside their home countries, you won’t want to miss this lively conversation on the creative and commercial trends shaping the international podcast scene. • Joël Ronez, founder and CEO of France’s Binge Audio • Elisha Sessions, Senior Commissioning Producer, BBC Podcasts • Moderated by Hot Docs Industry Programmer Olena Decock
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2
9:00 AM PANEL: How the News Should Sound: Original Podcasting at The New York Times In the last few years, The New York Times has achieved new journalistic heights—and hundreds of millions of downloads—with a compelling lineup of podcasts that span current events and culture, conversation and documentaries. Join Lisa Tobin, Executive Producer for Audio at The Times, and Canadian Bureau Chief Catherine Porter for an in-depth discussion of the paper’s acclaimed roster of podcasts—and how innovative shows like The Daily, Modern Love and Caliphate complement and enrich its award-winning news coverage. • Lisa Tobin, Executive Producer for Audio at The Times • Catherine Porter, New York Times Canadian Bureau Chief
10:30 AM PANEL: From Pitch to Podcast: Developing New Shows at WNYC and Gimlet Media Key decision makers at two of the world’s most innovative podcast studios discuss their experiences developing some of the most acclaimed podcasts in recent memory. What creative, business and editorial adjustments were made as they developed shows like 2 Dope Queens, The Habitat and Nancy? How do they identify and cultivate podcasting talent and get new projects ready to share with the world? • Nazanin Rafsanjani, VP for New Show Development at Gimlet Media • Paula Szuchman, VP for On-Demand Content at WNYC Studios • Moderated by Lindsay Michael, co-host of CBC’s Podcast Playlist
12:00 PM PANEL: Funny Business–Comedy Podcasting at Stitcher and Earwolf Chris Bannon’s illustrious podcasting career has spanned networks (WNYC, MPR and PRI) and genres (Freakonomics, Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin, LeVar Burton Reads) but in recent years, as the Chief Content Officer at Stitcher, he’s overseen some of the world’s most beloved comedy podcasts: How Did This Get Made?, Comedy Bang Bang and Getting Curious with Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness, to name just a few. Join Chris and his colleague Matt Gourley, host of Earwolf's hit shows Superego, Pistol Shrimps Radio, and The Andy Daly Podcast Pilot Project, for an in-depth discussion on the evolving landscape of
WWW.HOTDOCS.CA
PRESS RELEASE comedy podcasting. Discover what it takes to translate a funny idea into a hilarious and compelling podcast. • Chris Bannon, Chief Content Officer at Stitcher • Matt Gourley, Host and Producer at Earwolf Comedy Network • Moderated by Todd Van Allen, Toronto-Based comedian and host of the Comedy Above the Pub podcast
2:00 PM CREATORS FORUM ROUNDTABLES: Session 2 Get to know the Festival’s leading podcast producers and executives at these dynamic micro-sessions. Gain expert feedback on your latest projects and pick the brains of world-renowned decision makers before rotating on to the next table and expert in the room. • Chris Bannon, Chief Content Officer at Stitcher, and more! • Joël Ronez, founder and CEO of France’s Binge Audio • Paula Szuchman, VP for On-Demand Content at WNYC • Lisa Tobin, Executive Producer for Audio at The New York Times, and more!
4:00 PM MASTERCLASS: Revealing Canada's Darkest Stories, with Thunder Bay's Ryan McMahon and Jesse Brown Thunder Bay is the first-ever investigative series from Toronto's popular CANADALAND Podcast Network. In the tradition of gripping serialized hits like S-Town and The Wire, it's a sprawling yet intimate study of murder and crime in a troubled town in Northern Ontario, as seen through the eyes of host Ryan McMahon, an Anishinaabe writer and storyteller. Following the podcast’s anticipated release this fall, join McMahon and Executive Producer Jesse Brown for an in-depth discussion of how this groundbreaking new show got made, and the editorial and commercial challenges they negotiated as they set out to shine a light on some of Canada's most urgent, and overlooked, stories. • Jesse Brown, Executive Producer (Thunder Bay), Host and Publisher, CANADALAND • Ryan McMahon, host (Thunder Bay), co-host (CANADALAND’s Commons) and founder of Indian & Cowboy, a listener-supported Indigenous podcast network
Passes and single tickets are on sale for Hot Docs members today. Passes and tickets are available to the public on September 20. All-Access Passes, including one ticket to each podcast and industry event, are $199 ($189 for Hot Docs Members); Festival Passes, including one ticket to each podcast event, are $169 ($159 for Hot Docs Members); Creators Forum Passes, including one ticket to each industry event, are $99 ($89 for Hot Docs Members); single tickets to insider panels are $22 ($19 for Hot Docs Members); and single tickets to podcast events are $22–$34 ($19–$29 for Hot Docs Members). Festival goers coming from outside the Greater Toronto Area save 25% on tickets and passes and can take advantage of a special overnight stay package with our official hotel partner, Kimpton Saint George. Learn more at hotdocscinema.ca/visit.
The Hot Docs Podcast Festival is presented in partnership with CBC Podcasts, with support from the Government of Ontario, The Consulate of France in Toronto, Penguin Random House Canada, BlogTO (Media Sponsor) and Kimpton Saint George (Official Hotel Partner).
WWW.HOTDOCS.CA
PRESS RELEASE
-30-
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema is a historic, century-old cinema located in Toronto’s vibrant Annex neighbourhood. Owned and operated by Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, the 684- seat venue is a year-round home for first-run Canadian and international documentaries, as well as special documentary presentations and showcases, including the popular Doc Soup screening series. Continuing its longstanding role as a community cinema, it also hosts many of the city’s independent film festivals and is a proud member of the Bloor St. Culture Corridor. In June 2016, a donation from the Rogers Foundation enabled Hot Docs to purchase the cinema.
Hot Docs (www.hotdocs.ca), North America’s largest documentary festival, conference and market, will present its 26th annual edition from April 25-May 5, 2019. An outstanding selection of over 200 documentaries from Canada and around the world will be presented to Toronto audiences and international delegates. Hot Docs will also mount a full roster of conference sessions and market events and services for documentary practitioners, including the renowned Hot Docs Forum, Hot Docs Deal Maker and the Doc Shop.
Media contact: Andrea Smitko, Media Relations Manager, Hot Docs [email protected], 416-203-2155 ext. 292
WWW.HOTDOCS.CA