Karen Cho 曹嘉伦 is a Documentary Writer, Director and Producer known for her social justice films. Her work has explored subjects like the Chinese Head Tax & Exclusion Act, refugees, artist-activists, 5G technology & women’s rights. Karen’s latest film, Big Fight in Little Chinatown, is the story of community resistance & resilience in the struggle to save Chinatowns across North America. The film premiered at Doc NYC, opened the 2023 DOXA Film fest and won RIDM’s 2022 Prix Du Public. With decades of experience in the Film & television industry, Karen also works as a Writer, Director, Story Producer, Story Editor & Creative Consultant on TV and web series for CBC, Discovery, History, TVOntario, Knowledge Network, Viceland, Amazon Prime, APTN etc.
FILMOGRAPHY:
Currently – Shifting Horizons TELUS (Writer / Director)
Currently – Prophet of Ecstasy Doc Channel (Co–Writer / Co-Director)
2022 – Big Fight in Little Chinatown TV Ontario / SRC (Writer/ Director / Impact Producer)
2022 – Meanwhile in the Kitchen / Pendent ce temps en cuisine Amazon Prime (Series Director)
2022 – Verizon Innovative Learning 10th Anniversary Shorts (Producer)
2021 – The Big Sex Talk CBC (Series Director)
2020 – Speed of Through Amazon Prime (Producer / Co-Writer)
2018 – The Detectives (Season 2) CBC (Story Editor)
2018 – Art is my Country CBC Arts (Story Editor / Director)
2017 – Interrupt This Program (Season 2 & 3), CBC (Story Producer / Series Director)
2017 – We Are Canada, CBC (Series Director)
2015-2016 – Vice Guide To Film, Viceland (Story Producer / Writer / Field Director)
2015 – Working It Out Together, APTN (Story Producer / Creative Consultant)
2008/2010/2015 – Extraordinary Canadians (Seasons 1,2,3) CBC, OMNI, Biography, City TV (Series Director)
2014 – Things Left Unsaid – family Secrets (Writer / Director / Producer)
2014 – Restoration Garage, History (Writer/Story Editor)
2013 – Yukon Gold (Season 2), History (Story Editor / Creative Consultant)
2013 – Dangerous Flights (Season 2), Discovery (Writer/Story Editor)
2012 – Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada, NFB (Writer/Director)
2012 – Licence to Drill (Season 3), Discovery (Writer/Story Editor)
2012 – The Beat (Season 2), OLN, City TV (Story Editor / Creative Consultant)
2010 – All for One with Debbie Travis, CBC (2nd unit Series Director / Story Editor)
2009 – Seeking Refuge (Terre d’asile), SRC, RDI, CBC (Writer/Director)
2005 – Past Lives, Global (Series Director)
2004 – In the Shadow of Gold Mountain, CBC, Knowledge (Writer/Director)
AWARDS:
2024- legendary Dragon Lifetime Achievement Award, Chinatown Film Festival
2024- Best Documentary Feature, Chinatown Film Festival (Big Fight in Little Chinatown)
2023- Best Documentary Film, Markham International Film Festival (Big Fight in Little Chinatown)
2023- Best Documentary Film, Canada China International Film Festival (Big Fight in Little Chinatown)
2022- Honorable Mention Best Canadian Feature FIlm, Reel Asian (Big Fight in Little Chinatown)
2022 – Prix du Public, RIDM (Big Fight in Little Chinatown)
2022 – Women Inmate Jury Award (Big Fight in Little Chinatown)
2012 – World Documentary Award, Whistler Film Festival (Status Quo)
2010- First Place, Toronto Human Rights Docfest (Seeking Refuge)
2009 – Gemini Nomination – Best Direction in a Documentary Program (Seeking Refuge)
2006 – Golden Ribbon Award for Diversity in News and Information Programming (In the Shadow of Gold Mountain)
2005 – Golden Sheaf Award – Best Multicultural Documentary, Yorkton Film Festival, (In the Shadow of Gold Mountain)
2005 – Honourable Mention, Columbus International Film and Video Festival, (In the Shadow of Gold Mountain)
2003 – Winner Reel Diversity Competition, NFB, (In the Shadow of Gold Mountain)
2001 – Mel Hoppenheim Award (top of graduating class, Concordia University)
2000 – Telescene Communications Scolarship
1999 – Kodak Award