HOOKERS ON DAVIE (1984)

40th Anniversary Special Edition 

At the height of the 1980s, following their breakthrough documentary P4W: Prison for Women, filmmakers Janis Cole and Holly Dale turned their lens on Vancouver's Davie Street neighborhood, a bustling, neon-soaked hub for both trans and cisgender sex workers informally known as "the prostitution capital of Canada." The result was HOOKERS ON DAVIE, a landmark document combining candid interviews with a group of instantly memorable subjects and vivid location footage of their street work, surreptitiously captured with hidden cameras. An indelible community portrait, the film culminates in the group's collective efforts to challenge and overcome legislative oppression.

Much lauded upon its release in 1984 and no less potent – or engrossing – 40 years later, HOOKERS ON DAVIE showcases Cole and Dale's deeply humanist approach, bringing care and compassion to subjects often represented in more reductively moralistic terms. CIP is proud to present this groundbreaking classic in a new 4K restoration that confirms its place among the greatest non-fiction films ever produced in Canada.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

• 4K BLU-RAY/BLU-RAY COMBO PACK
• NEW 4K RESTORATION from the original 16mm A/B negatives by Canadian International Pictures with sound transferred from the original 16mm magnetic final mix
• HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
• NEW audio commentary featuring directors Janis Cole and Holly Dale
• NEW audio commentary featuring multi-disciplinary artist and curator Jordan King
• NEW introduction to Hookers on Davie by Cole
• NEW Directors on Davie (2024, 23 min.) – New interview with Cole
• NEW Before Davie (2024, 12 min.) – Cole on her early films with Holly Dale
• NEW Mardi on Tiggy (2024, 14 min.) – Trans elder Mardi Pieronek's tribute to her friend Tiggy
• Video report on The West End Sex Workers Memorial fundraiser (2009, 7 min.)
• Toronto Arts Awards tribute to Cole and Dale (1994, 4 min.)
• CBC interview (1984, 8 min.) – Barbara Frum in conversation with Cole and Dale
• Citytv interview (1984, 3 min.) – Jeanne Beker in conversation with Cole and Dale
• . Hookers on Davie home movies (1983, 34 min.)
• Afterword featuring Cole and Dale (2024, 8 min.)
• Cream Soda (1975, 13 min.) – New 2K scan of Cole and Dale's first short
• Minimum Charge No Cover (1976, 11 min.) – New 2K scan of Cole and Dale's second short
• New introductions to both shorts by Cole
• New audio commentaries for both shorts featuring Cole and Dale
• New audio commentaries for both shorts featuring King
• Hookers on Davie archival press gallery
• Booklet featuring essays by Kay Armatage, Adrian Rui Hung, and Cayley James
• Reversible cover artwork
• English SDH subtitles
• 4K BLU-RAY: REGION-FREE