[8] In April, the organization partner with CBC Television on the short-run series Hot Docs at Home, which broadcast several Canadian documentary films that had been slated to premiere at the festival.

[13] In March 2024, Currimbhoy stepped down as artistic director after just a few months in the role, amid allegations of mismanagement and toxic behaviour that had led much of the programming team to resign en masse weeks before the 2024 festival.

[14] Many of the programmers who quit in March rejoined the programming team in October after the board implemented a restructuring plan under Haynes's leadership.

[21] Notable Hot Docs Forum participants include Lars von Trier's The Five Obstructions, Ari Folman's Golden Globe-winning Waltz with Bashir, Cari Green and Mark Achbar's The Corporation, David France's How to Survive a Plague, Frederick Wiseman's In Jackson Heights and Sean Fine and Andrea Nix's Academy Award-winning Inocente.

Each year, the festival recognizes the top Canadian and international films in official selection for feature, mid-length and short documentary.

It is announced at an encore screening of the winning film on the final Sunday of the festival, and includes at $50,000 prize courtesy of Rogers Group of Funds.

Recipients include: Barbara Kopple (2018), Tony Palmer (2017), Steve James (2016), Patricio Guzmán (2015), Adam Curtis (2014), Les Blank (2013), Michel Brault (2012), Terence Macartney-Filgate (2011), Kim Longinotto (2010), Alanis Obomsawin (2009), Richard Leacock (2008), Heddy Honigmann (2007), Werner Herzog (2006), Errol Morris (2005), Michael Maclear (2004), Nick Broomfield (2003), Frederick Wiseman (2002), D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus (2000) and Albert Maysles (1999).

The annual Doc Mogul Award recognizes an individual who has made essential contributions to the creative vitality of the documentary industry over the course of their career.

Recipients include: Cara Mertes (2018), Monique Simard (2017), Iikka Vehkalahti (2016), Takahiro Hamano (2015), Mette Hoffman Meyer (2014), Debra Zimmerman (2013), Diane Weyermann (2012), Ally Derks (2011), Jan Rofekamp (2010), Sheila Nevins (2009), Nick Fraser (2008), and Rudy Buttignol (2007) The Don Haig Award is presented to a Canadian producer with a film in the festival, and recognizes creative vision and entrepreneurship.

The winner receives at $10,000 cash prize courtesy of the Don Haig Foundation and Telefilm Canada; and the recipient also awards $5,000 to an emerging female documentary filmmaker of their choice to support career development.

The winner receives a $5,000 cash prize from the Lindalee Tracey Fund, $5,000 in post-production services and a specially commissioned, hand-blown glass sculpture by Andrew Kuntz.

[30] In 2011, the cinema was purchased by Toronto-based Blue Ice Group, a film financing and production company, and its partner, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

Notable past Doc Soup titles include Oscar-winner Louie Psihoyos's Racing Extinction, Kirby Dick's The Hunting Ground, Joe Berlinger's Under African Skies, R.J. Cutler's The September Issue, Yung Chang's award-winning Up the Yangtze, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady's Oscar-nominated Jesus Camp and Heddy Honigmann's Crazy.

Hundreds of documentary titles, including past festival and Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema selections, production fund recipients and market program alumni, are offered on on-demand viewing platforms across North America.

Initiated by the R&M Lang Foundation in 2013, the Fund promotes inclusion in the documentary space celebrating all doc forms and the diverse perspectives of storytellers.

Each year, up to five funded projects are also invited to participate in a year-long mentorship program, along with private filmmaker labs at Hot Docs and the Durban FilmMart/Durban International Film Festival.

Established in 2008, the $4-million Corus-Hot Docs Funds provided production grants and no-interest development loans to projects at critical stages.