Documentary film fans in the Toronto area can completely immerse themselves starting April 19 as the 14th annual Hot Docs festival gets underway.

Over the course of 10 days, they can choose between 129 different films culled from about 1,800 submissions.

So, let's get this question out of the way: Will this be the best Hot Docs ever?

"It's always the 'best Hot Docs ever'," Sean Farnel, director of programming, told CTV.ca with a laugh.

"We hope so. ... We feel really good about the program. We set out with the goal to show everything documentary is doing right now. We wanted it to be an expansive and inclusive program of films, and we feel we've done that."

If one wants the sublime, the festival is offering up "In The Shadow of the Moon" on April 19 as the opening film.

This documentary brings together the surviving crew members of the Apollo 8 through 17 missions -- 12 of whom actually set foot on the moon -- to tell their stories.

There will the usual array of political and social films that one might expect at a documentary festival. Canadian filmmaker Jamie Kastner will be screening "Kike Like Me," a look at modern Jewish identity.

Those who want amusement could go see "Let's All Hate Toronto," a look by filmmaker-provocateur Albert Nerenberg at one of Canada's great national pastimes.

Watch for the reaction of some Edmontonians to a bogus Toronto Appreciation Day rally in their city.

"That would be in the 'mischief and play' section," Farnel said of the film. "When you look at it, it's kind of an interesting Canadian phenomenon (hating Toronto). ... It's one of those films that's quite in demand among our audience."

For pushing the boundaries, there will be documentaries featuring performing puppets and one starring an avatar in the online world Second Life, he said.

Another big buzz film will be "Manufacturing Dissent," a critical look by Toronto filmmakers Debbie Melnyk and Rick Caine at left-wing U.S. filmmaker Michael Moore, who has commercialized and invigorated the documentary form with works like the Oscar-winning "Bowling for Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9/11."

"It's a film that's gotten a huge amount of attention already," Farnel said. "It's kind of a no-brainer for a documentary film festival in a sense because it's a discussion about documentary film-making that it engenders."

Other buzz films that people can watch for include "Billy The Kid," "Zoo," "War/Dance" and "The Devil Came On Horseback."

"The wonderful thing about festivals is you go into them not knowing (what makes a hit) and you hope the audience will tell you. ... I hope "Wings of Defeat," about kamikaze pilots, or "Forbidden Lies," about this incredible literary house in Australia -- two films that also have a potential to break out here," Farnel said.

How should those with limited time and money, or who aren't hardcore documentary geeks, go about choosing from the 129 on offer?

"You go on the website, and I think all the films are very well described," Farnel said. "You pick films where you're interested in the subject matter or the story grabs you.

"There is a component of the website that is kind of interactive in a sense -- you see what other people are choosing."

He also suggested people should challenge themselves a bit and go see films that they normally wouldn't see.

"That's what I like to do at festivals because we don't know much about any of the films," before clarifying by adding, "the audience doesn't, I do."

"I hope the audience takes some chances," he said. "It's a feisty program. I hope people find some films to see and have a good time."

While about 10 per cent of these films will graduate to theatrical release or show up on TV, in many cases, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to catch them, he said.

And in most cases, the filmmakers themselves will be there to take questions. In Farnel's opinion, that's one of the best reasons for seeing these films at the festival.

"It's that social aspect of it, coming together with a group of like-minded people to watch a film about an issue you want to know more about -- and getting away from our computers."