Hot Docs: Flashback

The 2008 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival runs from April 17th-27th (film list available here). I love documentaries because they let you into worlds you wouldn't otherwise have access to and make you want to learn about subjects you didn't even know you were interested in. A trip down memory lane turns up the following recommended highlights from previous festivals:

The Monastery - 86-year-old bachelor, Mr. Vig, has always wanted to turn his run-down Danish castle into a monastery. He finally realizes his dream when a small group of Russian Orthodox nuns agrees to move in if he undertakes extensive repairs. The film was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2008 Spirit Awards.

Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story - A Japanese girl is kidnapped by North Korean spies in 1977. Her fate is revealed two decades later, when information about the not uncommon abduction practices of North Korea comes to light.

The Other Final - Bhutan and Montserrat, the two lowest-ranked world soccer teams, play an alternate match on the day of the 2002 World Cup final.