Razing Liberty Square directed by Katja Esson will be in Toronto until May 6 at Hot Docs with participants of the film in attendance. Katja Esson is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker based in Miami, known for her character-driven documentaries on race, class and gender. Her documentary short Ferry Tales garnered awards at international film festivals, was nominated for an Oscar, and premiered on HBO in 2004.

Razing Liberty Square is a documentary that drops you in the middle of Liberty Square, one of the oldest public housing projects in Florida. In the heart of Liberty City, Miami, this housing project is on higher ground as the areas experiences record sea level rise and developers want the land for luxury apartments. Climate gentrification is dividing this community and the stories of the residents, activists, and developers are intersecting in this story.

The film had its world premiere Monday, May 1 at 8:15pm at the TIFF Bell Lightbox 2 with an additional screening, Saturday, May 6 at 8:45pm at the TIFF Bell Lightbox 3. Canadians can stream it online May 5-9th.  The screenings are part of the HOT DOCS festival that was founded in 1993 by the Documentary Organization of Canada (formerly the Canadian Independent Film Caucus), a national association of independent documentary filmmakers. In 1996, Hot Docs became a separately incorporated organization with a mandate to showcase and support the work of Canadian and international documentary filmmakers and to promote excellence in documentary production. Links to those screenings can be found here: hotdocs.ca

The film's website (www.razinglibertysquare.org) shows the film will then go onto have its U.S Premiere on May 14th at 7pm as the Closing Night Film of Doc Lands Documentary Fiim Festival in San Rafael, California at the Smith Rafael Film Center. New York audiences will get its first look at the film in June. The film will screen as part of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival on June 2, 6:30pm at Lincoln Center and on June 6 at 6:30pm at IFC Center.