Reading Room #: Film Discussion of Charlotte’s Castle

This online Reading Room will focus on the film Charlotte’s Castle. At the Reading Room event, we will discuss the film after participants have watched it beforehand on their own.

Charlotte’s Castle is a 2022 documentary directed by Jamie Kastner about the Spadina Garden Apartments, a historic apartment building in Toronto, and some of the renters and other people with a connection to the apartment. Their situation greatly changes after a Dutch developer purchases the building. When we meet online, we will focus our conversation about the different topics the film raises:

• the housing crises and renovictions
• attachment to architecture and history
• the use of heritage to market real estate and upscale neighbourhoods
• the tensions that arise when different people have different attachments to the building
• designations and other protections

Please note that there is preparation associated with the event. You will need to watch the film which is about 80 mins long before the event. The film is available free of charge to watch. After you sign up we will send you an email with more information and the link to the film. If you cannot attend or choose not to attend, please let us know as soon as possible. As this event has limited space, we want to ensure that everyone who wants to participate has a chance to participate.