The Hot Docs Board of Directors has announced Diana Sanchez as the organization’s new Executive Director.
Sanchez succeeds Interim Executive Director Janice Dawe, who has held the position for the last 10 months. The former TIFF programmer will take up her new role on March 31, overseeing the strategic direction and management of the annual Hot Docs Festival, conference and market, as well as Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema and the organization’s industry and public facing programs and activities.
Hot Docs says Dawe’s will lead the organization into a period of ”rebuilding and reimagining, championing new initiatives and expanding the Festival’s global impact.”
“On behalf of the Board, we are thrilled to welcome Diana to Hot Docs. We are confident that her leadership will usher in an exciting new era for the organization,” said Board Co-Chair Nicholas de Pencier, in an announcement. “Diana brings passion, vast experience in the industry, and an unwavering commitment to the power that film has to bring people together and effect positive change. We look forward to her vital contribution in reshaping Hot Docs’ future, strengthening our Festival and Cinema, and continuing to champion filmmakers in Canada and beyond. Her vision will help Hot Docs amplify diverse voices, connect audiences with vital stories, and foster meaningful dialogue that sparks empathy and understanding.”
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Hot Docs team at such a pivotal moment,” said Sanchez. “Storytelling has the power to rediscover, reimagine, and bring fresh perspectives to the world around us. In that same spirit, Hot Docs is stepping into an exciting new chapter—one of growth, transformation and renewed vision. As documentary cinema continues to evolve, I’m eager to champion bold voices, embrace fresh ideas and foster meaningful connections—both within our local community and across the global documentary landscape. I look forward to collaborating with the talented team at Hot Docs to shape a dynamic and inclusive future for documentary storytelling.”
Sanchez is the former Senior Director of Film at TIFF, where she was an international programmer for over 17 years. She’s worked with film and culture organizations globally, including the Madrid Film Archive, Rotterdam Film Festival, Miami Film Festival, Houston Latin Wave at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Los Angeles Latino Film Festival (LALIFF) and IFF Panama, where she was the festival’s Founding Artistic Director. She holds an MA in Cinema Studies from the University of Toronto and has lectured extensively, most recently leading the first season of U of T’s ‘Pop-Up’ Cinematheque, developing a partnership between the Media Commons Archives and the Cinema Studies Institute to showcase the Archives’ collection.
