Although Toronto has a beloved Chinatown neighbourhood, there are quite a few Chinatowns across the globe that have also put themselves on the map, including those found in New York City, Montreal, Vancouver and San Francisco.

Canadian documentary filmmaker Karen Cho is shining a light on these five different North American Chinatowns in her newest film Big Fight in Little Chinatown which will have its Canadian premiere at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.

The documentary will compare the legacies of displacement and resistance that characterize these five different, yet similar, neighbourhoods.

Through interviews with business owners and those living in the community, Cho reveals how the pressures of urban renewal projects and current development have eliminated so many Chinatowns in North America.

Cho will explore the themes of gentrification, with it jeopardizing not only Chinatowns but other racialized communities across the continent. The film also discusses staying rooted in one place, even with so many obstacles in the way.

Big Fight In Little China is set to premiere at the TIFF Lightbox on November 13. Tickets for both in-person and online screenings are available.

The documentary is one of the many premieres happening at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival that will take place on November 9 through November 20.