Doc lovers, assemble! Hot Docs Festival returns to Toronto next week, showcasing 115 documentaries from across 51 countries. 

From April 23 to May 3, watch captivating, thoughtful, and deeply human stories about women’s rights, trailblazing queer artists, the complexities of our virtual world, and so much more. The 2026 festival lineup will feature 30 Canadian titles, including the opening night film Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions.

To help you choose from the dozens of documentaries screening at Hot Docs, we’ve gathered 10 of our top picks from this year’s festival—powerful, women-led films, portraits of iconic artists and characters, and Toronto stories that hit close to home. 

Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions

Opening Hot Docs on April 23, this cinematic tribute to Carole Pope celebrates the Canadian queer rock icon as she reclaims her rightful place in music history. As the lead singer of the new wave band Rough Trade, Pope broke barriers in Toronto’s music scene, defiantly singing about queer love and desire, all with a sexy, punk-rock edge. Featuring interviews with celebrity friends like Peaches, k.d. Lang, Jann Arden, and Jeanne Beker, director Michelle Mama shines a spotlight on this talented queer trailblazer. 

See it at Hot Docs on April 23 and 26. 

Barbara Forever

As one of the first openly lesbian filmmakers, Barbara Hammer was a trailblazer of queer cinema. Her daring, unapologetic, and experimental work constantly pushed the boundaries, grounding the lesbian experience in joy and paving the way for future generations. This powerful portrait of an icon allows unprecedented access to Hammer’s personal life and her groundbreaking archive of films, celebrating the legacy of a pioneer in lesbian cinema.

See it at Hot Docs on April 25 and 26. 

Constant Battles

After fleeing from gender-based persecution in Iran and navigating severe anxiety and ADHD, Nyousha Nakhjiri found solace in boxing. She’s now Canada’s number-one-ranked flyweight boxer, but her dream is to compete at the Olympics, where she would become the first Iranian-born female boxer to step into the ring. With the pressure of qualifiers building, this docu-short follows Nakhjiri as she chases her Olympic dream with strength and determination, and grows closer to her mother, who also carries the weight of trauma and sacrifice. 

See it at Hot Docs on April 25 and 26. 

It’s Dorothy

Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz has captured the hearts of viewers for generations, and this vibrant film delves deeper into her cultural legacy. It’s Dorothy traces the profound impact her character has had on women, people of colour and queer communities, inspiring us all with her courageous search for belonging. Hear from modern voices like Ashanti, Margaret Cho, and Lena Waithe, with archival footage from Judy Garland’s career and the iconic 1939 film.

See it at Hot Docs on April 25 and 27. 

Love Apptually

In Love Apptually, Shalini Kantayya pulls back the curtain on the multi-billion-dollar dating app industry. With insights from leading scientists and journalists, the film investigates how the hidden mechanics behind popular dating apps influence who meets whom. Following the work of French journalist Judith Duportail, Love Apptually unpacks the algorithms reshaping modern romance, intimacy, and attraction in an increasingly lonely world. 

See it at Hot Docs on April 25 and 26. 

The Sandbox

In her debut feature documentary, Kenya-Jade Pinto reveals the devastating human cost of high-tech global surveillance systems. From the US-Mexico border to Mediterranean rescue operations to digital labour centers in East Africa and beyond, The Sandbox is a bold, cinematic investigation into the ever-expanding and unsettling world of border technologies. Pinto follows those on the frontlines challenging these systems of power, exposing how these technologies are being weaponized to control vulnerable populations.

See it at Hot Docs on April 25 and May 2.

A War on Women

In 2022, after the death of Mahsa Amini, “Woman, Life, Freedom” became the rallying cry of a revolution. But Iranian women have been rising up for years, challenging a regime that wishes to silence them, and inspiring women fighting for equality around the world. Tracing back to the origins of Iran’s feminist resistance in the 1960s, A War on Women chronicles this decades-long fight for women’s rights, introducing viewers to the feminist icons who led the way. 

See it at Hot Docs on April 26 and 30. 

The Delivery Line

Filmed over a period of 8 years, Nance Ackerman tells the stories of five fearless midwives risking everything to help mothers through childbirth. From encampment parks in Toronto to tents on the US-Mexico border, to midwives in Afghanistan, Colombia, and Nigeria, The Delivery Line captures the gravity of this extraordinary, lifesaving profession. Amidst wars, climate change, and poverty, these midwives find joy and purpose in helping bring new life into the world.

See it at Hot Docs on April 30 and May 1. 

The Tower that Built a City

As the CN Tower turns 50 this year, celebrate the structure that defines Toronto’s skyline. Welcoming over 2 million visitors each year, the CN Tower is a beacon on the waterfront and a symbol of our world-class city, broadcasting Toronto’s identity far and wide. The Tower That Built a City blends archival footage of the tower’s construction and interviews with the engineers behind it all, connecting the iconic structure to notable moments in our city’s past five decades. 

See it at Hot Docs on May 1 and 3. 

Virtual Girlfriends

Seeking income and independence, three women navigate careers as sexual content creators on OnlyFans in this fly-in-the-wall film. Virtual Girlfriends dives into the fragile dynamics of digital intimacy, examining self-worth, validation, and the emotional toll of virtual relationships. Viewers will not only gain insight into the day-to-day lives of OnlyFans creators, but also the insecurities of the men on the other side.

See it at Hot Docs on May 2 and 3. 

See the full lineup of films on the Hot Docs website.