"Hot Docs" Opening Night: "Act Of God"...

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Michael Stevens reporting from Toronto...

The 16th edition of Toronto's Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, opened April 30 and will run to May 10.

From a record 1948 film submissions, this year’s slate offers 171 titles from 39 countries in 10 programs.

Thursday, April 30, for the first time "Hot Docs" expanded its Opening Night celebration to include a VIP cocktail reception at the historic Elgin Theatre on Yonge, followed by a screening in the Winter Garden of Jennifer "Manufactured Landscapes" Baichwal's "Act Of God".

"Act Of God", a Canwest-Hot Docs Funds Recipent, best described as 'a visually and aurally seductive reverie' is an electrifying new film, exploring the metaphysical effects of literally being struck by lightning.

"I can't accept that it happened for a reason," said James O'Reilley, who was hit by a strike and survived.

"Nor can I really accept that there is no reason. The only way to carry on is to be humble and a little bit in awe of these things you can't really understand."

For writer Paul Auster, involved in a strike at age 14, being hit by lightning deeply affected his life and art.

"It opened up a whole realm of speculation that I've continued to live with ever since."

Following the screening, guests were invited to attend a gala party at the Royal Ontario Museum Chen Galley, with proceeds in support of 'Docs For Schools', launched in 2006 as a way of giving students in the Toronto area access to free doc screenings throughout the Fest, in cinemas and at their schools...

"Hot Docs": "Paris 1919"- May 1 and May 10...

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Directed by Paul Cowan, produced by Gerry Flahive, Paul Saadoun and narrated by Canadian actor R.H. Thomson, the doc "Paris 1919", a National Film Board of Canada co-production had its North American premiere May 1 @ Toronto's "Hot Docs", with an encore screening scheduled for May 10.

"...For six months in 1919, Paris was the capital of the world. The last shots had just been fired in the most devastating war of all time - and the old global order lay in tatters. Delegations from over 30 nations urgently descended upon Paris for the most ambitious peace talks in history. At the helm were the Big Four - President Woodrow Wilson along with leaders of France, the UK and Italy.

They endeavored to engineer a peace treaty 'for all time', creating instead an embittered Germany already dreaming of retaliation - and creating contentious new entities like Iraq and Yugoslavia..."

Inspired by author Margaret MacMillan's novel, "Paris 1919", goes inside this singular event with a vivid sense of character and narrative, in a compelling story that blends re-enactments with archival images, as director Cowan captures the drama of diplomacy, evoking the atmosphere of a metropolis returning to life and a disquieting reflection on one of history's great missed opportunities.

"I am extremely happy with the warm reception audiences around the world have already given 'Paris 1919', but as a Canadian filmmaker, distribution in my home country is where my heart lies,” said Cowan.

"There is no other festival in the world that means as much to me as Hot Docs..."