Canadian film on the theft of Einstein's brain among Hot Doc world premieres

A documentary about the posthumous theft of Einstein's brain directed by award-winning journalist Michelle Shephard is among the films coming to Hot Docs.

The film festival announced part of its lineup Tuesday for the international festival that runs April 27 to May 7 in Toronto.

Among the world premieres is Shephard's "The Man Who Stole Einstein's Brain," about a pathologist in 1955 who without permission removed the anatomy responsible for the celebrated genius' intellect in order to study it.

Other Canadian world premieres include "Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella," by Montreal director Barry Avrich, about Canada's first Jewish Supreme Court judge.

Among previously announced films is U.S. director Davis Guggenheim's "Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie," about the Canadian icon's rise in Hollywood and his experiences with Parkinson's disease since the age of 29. It will screen for the first time in Canada.

Buzzy international films include the Russian espionage expose "The Rise of Wagner"; a look at the effort by Indigenous protectors of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil "We are Guardians"; and "Who's Afraid of Nathan Law," about a Hong Kong dissident's fight during the "Umbrella Revolution."

Notable Canadian premieres that centre on stories of the past and critical issues within Canada and the world also include filmmaker Ella Glendining's "Is there Anybody Out There?" which explores ableism and her personal quest to discover someone who looks like her.

The complete festival lineup will be announced March 28.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2023.