“RKS 2023 Film”: Hot Docs Citizen Minutes: “Do You Hear What I Hear”: Noise Noise Go Away and Don’t Come Back Any Day!

Citizen Minutes is a collection of Canadian short documentaries highlighting ordinary Canadians doing extraordinary things “to make their communities better places” at least according to Hot Docs. The series of shorts will be playing in select Canadian cities.

“Do You Hear What I Hear” is a short documentary in which writer and director Cat Mills profiles a couple of Toronto women who hear all to well the noise surrounding Torontonians. Modified muffler monster vehicles you can hear 7 kilometres away. Ambulances, police cars and fire trucks. Politicians acknowledge the problem but do nothing about it. By-law officers can capture noise offenders but must call police to take action which means nothing but finger pointing for why offenders are rarely punished.

Take my word for it Toronto fire trucks blasting away actually make me lose my hearing for a few seconds after they rush away all six of them to rescue one person who has just had a heart attack along with two police cars and an ambulance.

“Do You Hear What I Hear” is just over 8 minutes and is directed and written by Cat Mills.

Each screening of these collection of docs will be free and followed by an audience Q&A “with the goal of inspiring collaborative dialogue about civic engagement and the many forms it can take” according to Hot Docs.

Theatrical dates in Canada are;

October 16th – Rio Theatre, Vancouver, BC, 6:30 pm – Host Angela Steritt

October 25th – Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, Toronto, ON, 6:30 pm – CBC Host Ismaila Alfa and a special guest performance by Akitone.

November 9th – Calgary Central Library, Calgary, AB, 6:30 pm – CBC Host Angela Knight

November 27th – Cinema Du Musée – Montreal, QC, 6:30 pm – CBC Daybreak Host Sean Henry 

November 27th – Halifax Central Library, Halifax, NS, 6:30 pm  – CBC Host Preston Mulligan and a special guest performance by comedian Janelle Niles.