Volunteer Best | Hotdocs

Meet Alex. A third-year journalism student who is deeply skeptical of “hero narratives.” Alex signed up to volunteer for one practical reason: the free pass to 10 films. They are assigned the 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM shift at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Their role: Box Office & Venue Flow. Their uniform: a slightly-too-large red volunteer t-shirt and a lanyard with a laminated schedule that is already wrong.

“Hey,” the kid says. “I want to volunteer next year. Is it worth it?” hotdocs volunteer

During the Q&A, the exhausted Norwegian director thanks the audience for their patience. Then he points to the back of the theater, where Alex is leaning against the wall, red lanyard askew. Meet Alex

Alex looks at the chaos, the exhausted staff, the long hours, and the one free film they haven’t had time to see yet. They touch their red lanyard. Their role: Box Office & Venue Flow

The Keeper of the Red Lanyard

“And thank you to the volunteer,” he says. “You reminded me why I make films. Because reality still needs people who show up.”

It’s Day 3. A sold-out screening of a hard-hitting climate documentary. The director is flying in from Norway. The Q&A is scheduled for exactly 22 minutes. At 5:45 PM, the digital ticketing system crashes. A line of 300 people snakes down Bloor Street. A donor in a cashmere scarf is furious because her “priority seating” is not being honored. A first-time filmmaker is having a quiet panic attack by the water fountain.