After more than two years of virtual screenings, one of Toronto's largest film festivals is providing audiences with two options to enjoy the lineup of documentaries.

Customers can choose to watch the entire festival online or in-person for all screenings.

After providing a limited number of films in-person at the Ted Rogers Cinema for both their regular programming and other festivals like Reel Asian in November, all accepted full-length feature documentaries were given an opening night and subsequent showings across various theatres in the downtown core.

Further, more countries were represented at this festival, according to the Hot Docs website, including more submissions from Latin America and the Nordic countries.

CJRU had the opportunity to cover several of the screenings and interview the directors about their projects.

Batata is directed, filmed and edited by Lebanese-Canadian filmmaker Noura Kevorkian. Batata chronicles the lives of a Syrian refugees in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon over an eight-year period.

How Saba Kept Singing is directed by Sara Taskler. It follows the life of a Holocaust survivor whose story of survival finds news truths and uncovers key individuals left out in the initial narrative.

On Suspicion focuses on the politcal art of a Mapache artist who was wrongfully convicted of theft and murder by the Chilean government. He creates pieces that reflect both the origins and contemporary issues of his Indigenous culture. The film is directed by Daniel Diaz.

The Hot Docs film festival runs from April 28 to May 8 this year. Films can be seen in-person at the Ted Rogers Cinema, Scotiabank Theatre and the Varsity Cineplex Theatre.

Listen to CJRU's interviews with directors from the Hot Docs film festival: