Hot Docs 2008

Are these short things the best films at Hot Docs this year? Maybe not, but they're the best thing I've seen yet. Rossellini's droll delivery is perfect and their brevity means these little shorts never become tedious, but instead left me wanting more, more, more. I hope these make their way onto the Web as I'd like to see them all.

Excellently constructed documentary using interviews, old footage, found footage and staged reconstructions. (My only quibble would be with the decision to stretch some of the home movie footage to fit the wider aspect ratio of the documentary.) And it helps that the subject himself, Phillipe Petit, is an entertaining talker who loves being the centre of attention. The interviews with his partners in the stunt help to balance his somewhat maniac self-absorption. Light-hearted, and occasionally even self-mocking, it's clear why this film was a winner at Sundance.