Karen Cho facts for kids

Karen Cho is a talented filmmaker from Montreal, Canada. She makes special movies called documentaries. These films tell true stories about important topics. Karen Cho's movies often explore ideas like fairness and how people are treated.

She has made several well-known films. These include In The Shadow Of Gold Mountain (2004), Seeking Refuge (2009), and Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada (2012). Her films have even won awards!

About Karen Cho

Karen Cho is a fifth-generation Chinese Canadian. This means her family came to Canada a long time ago. Her mother has British-Irish roots, and her father is Chinese-Canadian.

Her father's family moved to Canada from China over 100 years ago. They settled in special neighborhoods called Chinatowns in Vancouver and Montreal. Even though Karen didn't grow up in these areas, she felt connected to them. Her grandmother would take her to visit the Chinatowns in Montreal and Vancouver.

Her Education

Karen Cho studied filmmaking at Concordia University. It's called the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema in Montreal. There, she learned many skills. She learned how to film movies and how to record sound.

Her Work and Beliefs

Karen Cho's films often show her strong beliefs. She cares deeply about fairness and equality. For example, while researching her film Status Quo?, she realized she was a feminist. This means she believes in equal rights for all genders.

She also works to help her community. Karen has helped protect Montreal's Chinatown. This historic area is important for its culture and history. She worked with a group to stop new buildings from taking over the area. Her efforts helped protect two important buildings in 2022. This means they cannot be torn down.

Her Films

After finishing film school, Karen Cho made her first documentary. It was called In The Shadow Of Gold Mountain (2004). She made it with the National Film Board of Canada. This film looks at the history of Chinese people in Canada. It talks about unfair laws like the Chinese Head Tax and the Chinese Exclusion Act. These laws made it very hard for Chinese people to live in Canada.

The film includes interviews with Chinese-Canadians. They share their experiences with these old laws. It also shows how these past events still affect people today.

Seeking Refuge

Her second film was Seeking Refuge (2009). This documentary tells the stories of five people. They were looking for a safe place to live in Canada. The film shows their journeys and challenges.

Big Fight in Little Chinatown

Karen Cho's most recent film is Big Fight in Little Chinatown (2023). This movie highlights the importance of Chinatowns in North America. It shows how these communities are special for their culture, economy, and social life.

The film explores problems like gentrification and racism. Gentrification is when new, expensive buildings change an old neighborhood. This can make it hard for people who live there to afford to stay. The film shows how Chinatown communities are fighting these challenges.

Big Fight in Little Chinatown visits Chinatowns in many cities. These include New York City, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and Winnipeg. But it focuses most on Montreal's Chinatown. This film started showing in theaters in July 2023. It was on a tour across North America, often shown in Chinatowns themselves. The Chinatowns in Vancouver and Montreal were also important in her first film, In the Shadow of Gold Mountain.

Filmography