If you’re a regular Film Junk reader or listener, you’ve probably been hearing about Jay’s next film How to Build a Time Machine for a few years now and wondering if you will ever be able to watch it. Well, this week we’re happy to announce that the movie is finally finished and it will be making its world premiere at the Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto. The full Hot Docs line-up was announced yesterday and tickets are now available. The screenings for How to Build a Time Machine will fall on the following dates and times:

• Mon. May 2nd @ 6:30 pm – Isabel Bader Theatre
• Tues. May 3rd @ 10:00 am – TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
• Sat. May 7th @ 8:45 pm – TIFF Bell Lightbox 2

Jay will be doing a Q&A after each screening and I believe the plan is for Rob Niosi and Ron Mallett (the subjects of the film) to be at the first screening as well. Obviously the hope is that the movie will also be playing at other festivals in the coming months, so if you’re not in the Toronto area, stay tuned.

Here is the official write-up from the Hot Docs website:

“From filmmaking to physics, controlling mortality has long been a creative and scientific pursuit. Fixated on the possibility of conquering time, two men find inspiration by bringing facets of H.G. Wells’ 1895 novel The Time Machine to life. Animator Rob Niosi has devoted years to obsessively replicating the time machine prop from the 1960 feature film adaptation. Meanwhile, theoretical physicist Ron Mallett has dedicated his lifetime of research to better understanding black holes and their time portal potential. Both are driven by personal tragedies that time won’t heal. Using Niosi’s meticulous construction of his replica machine set against archival material where he describes the mechanics of motion pictures, Jay Cheel crafts an entertaining exploration of the power of film to act as a gateway to the fourth dimension. These cinematic visuals entwine with Mallett’s compelling explanation of how science fiction might not be that far-fetched after all.”

And here is the original teaser trailer, released back in 2014:

How to Build a Time Machine – Teaser from Jay Cheel on Vimeo.

Hope to see some of you there!