Sasha King’s Vicky to receive North American Premiere at Hot Docs
Posted: 3rd April 2023
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is proud to congratulate Sasha King and the creative team behind Vicky, an enraging and awe-inspiring look at Vicky Phelan's fight for justice in one of the largest women’s health care scandals in Irish history, for its selection at the 30th edition of Hot Docs - Canadian International Documentary Festival, where it will receive its North American Premiere on 3rd May.
The film was selected as part of European Film Promotion (EFP)'s THE CHANGING FACE OF EUROPE, which brings ten outstanding European documentaries to the festival. The initiative is supported by the Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme of the European Union and the participating EFP member organisations, including Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Czech Film Center, Estonian Film Institute, German Films, Lithuanian Film Centre, SEE NL (The Netherlands), Slovak Film Institute, Swedish Film Institute, SWISS FILM and Unifrance. Media partners are Variety, POV Magazine, Business Doc Europe and Cineuropa.
Directed by Sasha King, Vicky retraces Vicky Phelan's profound and intimate journey behind the headlines of the CervicalCheck scandal. Following discovery that her smear test results were incorrect, a fact that had been deliberately withheld from her, Vicky realised there had to be other women similarly affected to her. She took on the system, all the way to the High Court settling her case, with no admission of liability on the part of the laboratory or health services. However she resolutely refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and undeterred despite her own devastating diagnosis, she vowed to fight for justice on behalf of all those affected. It was later discovered that hundreds of women were misdiagnosed and could have benefitted from earlier treatment. Over twenty women have since died. A true 'latter day warrior Queen’, Vicky’s selfless courage in the service of others has changed the course of healthcare for Irish women and exemplifies what one person can achieve when they use their voice for the greater good.
The film is a Princess Pictures production produced by Sasha King, Bill Snodgrass and Vicky Phelan. Executive producers are Martina Niland and Lesley McKimm for Screen Ireland. It was released in Ireland last October by Volta Pictures.
Vicky will receive its North American Premiere at Hot Docs on Wednesday, 3rd May at 8pm and will screen a second time at the festival on Saturday, 6th May at 5.30pm. Tickets are available here.
We are proud to support the film and to see Vicky's story reach international audiences.
About Hot Docs
Hot Docs is North America's largest documentary festival, conference and market, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing and celebrating the art of documentary and to creating production opportunities for documentary filmmakers. Hot Docs will present its 30th annual edition from April 27 to May 7, 2023, in cinemas across Toronto, with a selection of films available online to audiences throughout Canada. Hot Docs will also mount a dynamic series of knowledge sessions, networking opportunities and market programs for documentary practitioners and industry delegates, including the renowned Hot Docs Forum, Hot Docs Deal Maker and The Doc Shop. Year-round, Hot Docs supports the Canadian and international industry with professional development programs and a multi-million-dollar film fund portfolio, and fosters education through documentaries with its popular free program Docs For Schools. Hot Docs owns and programs the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, a century-old landmark located in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood and the world's first and largest documentary cinema, and operates Hot Docs at Home streaming platform.