The 14th annual Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival closed yesterday, shattering last year's attendance record. Over the eleven day Festival 129 films were presented in over 200 screenings to audiences numbering 68,000, an astounding 33% increase over last year. Additionally, a record number of industry delegates, close to 2000, participated in the numerous professional development, networking and market initiatives offered during the Festival's conference. The Toronto Documentary Forum (TDF), Hot Docs' key market event, also had a banner year: a record 143 broadcasters, distributors, sales agents and other financiers gathered with 309 Observers to hear 31 project presentations from Canada and around the world.

Docs for Schools, an educational initiative now in its second year, was also an overwhelming success. Approximately 15,000 high school students - more than double the number from 2006 - from dozens of schools in the GTA enjoyed specially-scheduled free screenings at Festival venues or in their schools. In addition to the opportunity to discuss issues raised in the documentaries with visiting filmmakers, the students' learning experience was further enhanced by in-depth teaching resources linked to the Ontario curriculum developed by the Festival's Education Coordinator.

Hot Docs is also delighted to announce that Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine's WAR/DANCE is the recipient of the 2007 Hot Docs Audience Award, joining the other esteemed winners announced at the Awards Presentation on Friday, April 27. In this hope-filled documentary three orphans from a displacement camp in Northern Uganda succeed to the finals of a national dance and music contest. WAR/DANCE is distributed by THINKFilm.

The Hot Docs Audience Award is compiled from ballots assembled at all Festival screenings. Audience members are invited to rate films on a scale of one to five. The votes are then tallied and averaged, resulting in the selection of the film most widely enjoyed by its viewers. The Audience Award is sponsored by History Television.

The audience picks for the top ten films at Hot Docs 2007 are:

1. WAR/DANCE (D: Sean Fine, Andrea Nix Fine; USA; 105 min)
2. . WE ARE TOGETHER (D: Paul Taylor; UK; 86 min)
3. GARBAGE WARRIOR (D: Oliver Hodge; UK; 87 min)
4. THE SUICIDE TOURIST (D: John Zaritsky; Canada; 90 min)
5. FORBIDDEN LIE$ (D: Anna Broinowski; Australia; 107 min)
6. NANKING (D: Bill Guttentag, Dan Sturman; USA; 89 min)
7. CITY IDOL (D: Arturo Perez Torres; Canada; 90 min)
8. HEAR AND NOW (D: Irene Taylor Brodsky; USA; 84 min)
9. CHICHESTER'S CHOICE (D: Simonee Chichester; Canada; 64 min)
10. FOREVER (D: Heddy Honigmann; Netherlands; 95 min)