Gordon Lightfoot film among world premieres set for Hot Docs festival

A film about Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot will make its world premiere at this year's Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mindis from directors Joan Tosoni and Martha Kehoe.

It sees the Orillia, Ont., native revealing the inspiration behind his lyrics and longevity.

The film is among 16 newly announced titles for the Special Presentations program of Hot Docs, which runs from April 25 to May 5 in Toronto.

Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mindis a CBC Docs original. It will be released theatrically in Canada this summer and will air on CBCand the documentary Channel in late 2019.

Other docs making their world premiere at the festival include Willie, about New Brunswick-born Hockey Hall of Famer Willie O'Ree, who was the first black player to skate in the NHL.

Laurence Mathieu-Leger directed the film, which looks at the athlete's "courage and resilience."

And Our Godfatherby Mark Franchetti sees the family of a high-ranking Sicilian mob boss come out of hiding to tell "how he helped convict over 400 Mafiosi."

Other titles bound for the festival that aren't making their world premieres include Ask Dr. Ruth, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cooland Mystify: Michael Hutchence.