If you’re one of the millions of Canadians who consider themselves podcast die-hards, get ready for podcast nirvana. Wednesday marks the launch of the fourth annual Hot Docs Podcast Festival. Hot Docs Podcast Festival, which runs from November 6th to 11th “Is the country’s first and largest event of its kind,” and welcome 13 acclaimed podcasts to stage a live episode of their show.
Here’s the rundown straight from our friends at Hot Docs:
Featuring a diverse program of industry panels, workshops and masterclasses, plus an exciting podcast pitch competition, the Creators Forum will welcome some of the biggest names in the industry, including top executives from Slate, Stitcher, CBC, Gimlet, Vox Media, Luminary and Canadaland, as well as Mia Lobel, Executive Producer of Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History, who also oversees Gladwell’s new podcast studio, Pushkin Industries.
Hot Docs Podcast Festival 2019 Schedule:
Wednesday, November 06
6:30 PM – The Splendid Table
Matty “The Flavor Lord” Matheson, New York Times food columnist Melissa Clark and CBC’s Suresh Doss join host Francis Lam for a night of mouth-watering stories from American Public Media’s beloved radio show and podcast.
9:15 PM – Sounds of the Six Variety Show
Celebrate the diverse voices that are shaping Toronto’s booming podcast scene at this special showcase featuring five of the city’s most exciting audio storytellers, hosted by Errol Nazareth. (Details listed below)
Thursday, November 07
6:30 PM – Mobituaries
With his signature wit, beloved CBS Sunday columnist and former Daily Show correspondent Mo Rocca gives his favourite dead people the send-off they never got in this rollicking celebration of lives worth reliving.
9:15 PM – Canadaland presents The Fakes of the Nation
Jesse Brown and the Canadaland crew (Wag the Doug, Commons, Thunder Bay) join forces for a lively and irreverent take on the state of Canadian power post-election. Plus, get a behind-the-scenes look at the network’s next major podcast.
Friday, November 08
6:30 PM – Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan
From the team that brought you Intercepted comes a refreshingly provocative analysis on the ups and downs of American and global politics from revered Al-Jazeera English host Mehdi Hasan, renowned for his hard-hitting interviews Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and more.
Saturday, November 09
12:30 PM – Today, Explained
Toronto native Sean Rameswaram (WNYC, CBC) hosts Vox’s irreverent and brainy look at the biggest stories of the day, hailed by everyone from The New Yorker to The Verge as a thrilling new edition to the daily news landscape.
4:30 PM – Everything is Alive
Witness the material world come to life as host Ian Chillag invites an inanimate object to share its life story in what has been hailed as one of the best— and most delightfully unexpected—new podcasts in recent years.
8:30 PM – Jon Ronson presents Tales From The Butterfly Effect and The Last Days of August
Bestselling author, screenwriter and treasured This American Life contributor Jon Ronson recounts his recent adventures in the porn world, based on his hit podcasts The Butterfly Effect and The Last Days of August.
Sunday, November 10
12:30 PM – More with Anna Maria Tremonti
See one of the country’s most cherished broadcasters and master conversationalists at work in this exclusive first look at Anna Maria Tremonti’s new long-form interview podcast, featuring a special sit-down with award-winning artist Vivek Shraya.
4:00 PM – Uncover with Missing & Murdered
Experience Canada’s greatest investigative journalists in action at this unique live storytelling collaboration between two true crime mega-hits from CBC Podcasts, emceed by The National’s Ian Hanomansing.
8:00 PM – The Allusionist
After a sold-out show at last year’s Festival, the award-winning British podcast The Allusionist returns with a brand-new live show exploring the worlds we make with words.
Monday, November 11
7:00 PM – Still Processing
Close the Festival with this special live edition of The New York Times’ award-winning culture pod, hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Wesley Morris and New York Times Magazine staff writer Jenna Wortham.
Sounds of the Six Variety Show Line-up
Sounds of the Six Variety Show! “A reflection of Toronto’s booming podcast scene, the show will feature five Toronto podcasts: Born & Raised, Black Tea, None of Our Business, Word Bomb, and Our Fake History.”
Black Tea
Writers Andray Domise and Melayna Williams are here to bring tough but important Black community conversations out in the open, and to have some laughs while doing so.
Word Bomb
Unpacking one explosive word per week, hosts Pippa Johnstone and Karina Palmitesta talk to experts and dive deep into lived experiences to share stories the dictionary doesn’t tell you.
None of our Business
A new Audible production based on the weird and wonderful things you’ve overheard while eavesdropping and hosted by comedians Gwynne Phillips and Briana Templeton AKA award-winning sketch comedy duo The Templeton Philharmonic.
Our Fake History
A podcast about the myths people think are history and the history that might be hidden in myths. Host Sebastian Major explores those tall tales and tries to figure out what’s fact, what’s fiction, and what is such a good story that it simply must be told.
Born & Raised
“Where are you really from?” is a loaded question for children of immigrants. Part reflection, part storytelling, this acclaimed podcast from HuffPost Canada digs into our experiences and connections with identity, family, and culture.
The Hot Docs Podcast Festival runs November 6-11, 2019. For more information, click here.
