Jan 2009 Doc Soup - Recipes for Disaster

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is pleased to announce that RECIPES FOR DISASTER (D: John Webster, Finland) will receive its North American theatrical premiere at January’s Doc Soup. 

Opening night film of the Nordisk Panorama and a hit at numerous international film festivals, RECIPES FOR DISASTER has been called “brilliant” by the Guardian and “an original form among ecological documentaries… excellent… (an) adventure (that) speaks to each of us!” by DOX Magazine. RECIPES FOR DISASTER screens on Wednesday, January 14, at 6:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. at the Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor Street West.

Committing his wife and two small children to a one-year “oil detox,” director John Webster attempts to live a life free of fossil fuels, cars, airplanes and anything packaged in plastic, without compromising the middle-class suburban lifestyle he and his family have grown so accustomed to. Gradually, in the face of John’s increasingly stringent demands (which his wife only somewhat jokingly refers to as a dictatorship), the family begins eliminating oil and petroleum products from their daily routine. As their lives begin to change and they begin questioning the values that have been ingrained in them, the Websters quickly come to realize that their will power and, ultimately, their overall happiness, are being put to the test. A true comedy of errors that chronicles the Websters’ efforts on a month-by-month basis, RECIPES FOR DISASTER offers a shocking tale of environmental impact and a heartfelt look at family and relationships against the backdrop of modern suburbia.

The Doc Soup monthly screening series brings the latest Canadian and international documentaries to the big screen in Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. Single tickets for RECIPES FOR DISASTER are $12 and can be purchased in advance at http://www.hotdocs.ca or at the door on the night of the screening (subject to availability). A limited number of free tickets for the 9:15 p.m. screening will be available to students with proper ID (subject to availability) at the door, on a first-come first-served basis beginning at 5:30 p.m. 

Upcoming screening dates for Toronto’s Doc Soup are January 14, February 11, March 11 and April 15. Doc Soup titles are announced at least one month prior to their screenings and, whenever possible, guest directors are in attendance.

Hot Docs is pleased to acknowledge Citytv as the Presenting Partner of the Doc Soup series.

Doc Soup Toronto is sponsored by Rogers and the Toronto Star.