TORONTO - Closeted gay American politicians, Japan's dolphin hunt and Romanian villagers from the movie "Borat" are among the topics set for this year's Hot Docs film festival, programmers said Tuesday at a news conference that included an emotional address by pioneering filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin.
The aboriginal artist will be recognized with an outstanding achievement award and retrospective of her work at the festival. Obomsawin fought back tears as she thanked supporters and dedicated the honour to the people in her films.
"I'm very happy for what I represent to First Nations people in this country," she said slowly in a wavering voice.
"I take the honour in the name of all the people that are in these films that I made. ... I want to say to my own people that life is getting better, and in this country we have many people who are our friends and love us. Thank you."
Obomsawin's career started with the National Film Board in the 1960s and includes the 1993 film "Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance," which provided a rare behind-the-scenes look at the Mohawk people during the Oka crisis of 1990.
Sean Farnel, the festival's director of programming, described Obomsawin as "a feisty, singular, inspiring and potent force in Canadian documentary filmmaking for some 40 years."
"Her films have given a voice to First Nations people in Canada, documenting their resistance, their lives and culture with power, divinity and beauty," said Farnel.
Hot Docs, which runs April 30 to May 10 in Toronto, will screen 171 movies from 39 countries. Sixty-five documentaries come from Canada.
Films include "Outrage," about secretly gay U.S. politicians who campaign against same-sex rights. It was made by Kirby Dick, who was nominated for an Oscar for his 2005 film "Twist of Faith."
The fest will also show "The Cove," about an intervention to end Japan's dolphin hunt, and "Carmen Meets Borat," about villagers who were stunned at how they were portrayed in Sacha Baron Cohen's "Borat."
"The works in this year's festival not only confront the apprehension and anxiety of the present, they take its pulse, they question, provoke and ultimately enlighten, ennoble and empower us," Farnel said.
Along with the Obomsawin retrospective, Hot Docs will look back on the career of maverick filmmaker Ron Mann, whose films include 1999's "Grass" and last year's "Know Your Mushrooms", and spotlight the NFB as it marks its 70th anniversary.
Other Canadian selections include Kevin McMahon's "Waterlife," a profile of the beauty and toxicity of the Great Lakes; Larry Weinstein's "Inside Hana's Suitcase," which unravels the story of a young girl's name scrawled on a suitcase from Auschwitz; and John Greyson's "Fig Trees," a tribute to HIV/AIDS activists.
The festival previously announced it will open with "Act of God," Jennifer Baichwal's film about lightning, fate and chance.
On Tuesday, officials also announced two new cash prizes for Canadian films at Hot Docs -- $15,000 for the best Canadian feature and $10,000 for the special jury prize, determined by a panel of filmmakers, journalists and other industry professionals.
The awards presentation, which will also recognize international and short docs, takes place May 8.
The 16th annual Hot Docs, billed as North America's largest documentary festival, expects to welcome about 100,000 spectators and nearly 2,000 industry delegates from around the world.
