The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival will return to Toronto this weekend.

In its 30th year, Hot Docs is North America’s largest documentary festival and market. The festival will take place April 27 through May 7 and feature 214 documentaries from 72 countries, as well as live recordings of five popular podcasts.

Tapping into one of the key issues of the upcoming Toronto mayoral election, the documentary “Someone Lives Here” will have its world premiere at Hot Docs. The film follows a young carpenter, Khaleel Seivwright, as he builds shelters for unhoused community members in Toronto. Directed by Zack Russell, the film puts a spotlight on this outreach project’s international acclaim – and its opposition from the municipal government.

“I’ve been inviting city councillors to the film,” Russell told CP24. “I’m hoping they’re a part of our Q & A. A lot of these elected officials are key players and it would be great for them to engage with the film,” he said.

“[Seivwright] built many, many life-saving shelters,” he said. “A lot of people’s lives were saved, and improved because of his actions…it’s easy to forget what happened, but I think the history of it is important. I hope people leave this film realizing that it is actually possible to help.”

“Someone Lives Here” will premiere on Saturday at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.

“Twice Colonized,” directed by Danish filmmaker Lin Alluna, will open the festival on April 27 at 6:30 p.m. The film follows Greenlandic Inuit lawyer and activist Aaju Peter as she works to protect the human rights of Indigenous people in the Arctic. The film is the world’s first pan-arctic Inuit co-production, with participation from Greenland, Denmark and Canada.

Single tickets to regular Hot Docs screenings are $19, while tickets to special presentations are $22. Multi-film passes are also available. CBC and CBC Gem have sponsored free screenings for students with valid photo I.D.

Hot Docs owns and programs the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, a landmark theatre (and largest documentary cinema in the world) located in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood.