In The Seats With....Ryan Ermacora, Jessica Johnson and 'Concrete Turned To Sand' at Hot Docs 2026

There's beauty in the genuine patience of filmmaking....

On this episode we are back in throws of non-fiction as the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival which rounds up here in Toronto this weekend and we look a film that required the filmmakers and the viewers to revel in the need for patience.  It's time for 'Concrete Turned To Sand'.

This film takes us to Cortes Island, a coastal paradise in British Columbia’s Discovery Islands archipelago. Its ecosystem is a breeding ground for oysters whose shells (that are often compared to stones) are shaped by tidal currents. These fossils take years to reach maturity; however like many things in the world today their environment is changing faster than they can adapt. Using 35mm film in concert with talks with farmers and scientists we get not only a glimpse into how these creatures form but how things like ocean warming and acidification can take their lifecycles far off track.  It all makes for a truly engrossing visual experience.

We talked with directors Ryan Ermacora, & Jessica Johnson about the nature of the project, the challenges of working on 35mm, what it added to the project and so very much more....