Honours & Acknowledgements | Activities | Select Film Presentations | Bio
Honours & Acknowledgements
2023 TIFF Series Accelerator
2023 Best Short Film, South Asian International Film Festival
2022 Chalmer’s Fellowship – Ontario Arts Council
2022 Best Pitch ‘The Devil’s Tears’ – Reykjavik International Film Festival
2022 RIFF Talent Lab – Reykjavik International Film Festival
2021 Telefilm Canada Not Short on Talent – Cannes Court Metrage
2020 Recipient, Research & Creation Grant – Canada Council for the Arts
2020 Netflix/CFC Calling Card Accelerator
2020 Best International Short Documentary, Garden State Film Festival
2020 Selected Artist – Al Ma’mal Residency, Jerusalem
2019 Selected Filmmaker – Northeast Filmmaker’s Lab
2019 Selected Artist – Anda Residency
2019 Recipient, Media Arts Grant – Toronto Arts Council
2018 Recipient, Filmmaking Grant – Voices With Impact
2018 Recipient, Media Artist Creation Grant – Ontario Arts Council
2018 Selected Artist, Home Made Visible – Regent Park Film Festival
2017 Participant, Emerging 20 (E20) Program, Reelworld Film Festival
2017 Fellow, Screenwriting Mentorship, MageeTV/TSC
2016 Media Award, Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO)
2016 Heritage Education Award, CAHP
2008 Best Documentary, Eyelens Film Festival
2007 Best Horror/Suspense, San Francisco Women’s Film Festival
2007 Best Cinematography, San Francisco Women’s Film Festival
Activities
2022 Warner Media Access x Canadian Academy Writers’ Program – Jury
2022 Hollywood North Film Awards – Jury
2021 Whippersnapper Gallery, Co-Chair
2021 Reel Ideas Conference – Panelist
2021 Hollywood North Film Awards- Panelist
2021 ReFrame Film Festival – Panelist
2021 DidiTalks – Panelist
2020 CineFAM ShopTalk Series – Moderator
2019 NorthEast Filmmakers Lab – Panelist
2019 ReFrame Film Festival – Panelist
2019 CineFAM Women of Colour Film Festival, Moderator
2019 Home Made Visible – Panelist
2018 CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, Moderator
2018 Ryerson White Privilege Conference, Speaker
2015-2017 Breakthroughs Film Festival, Board Member
2016 Internews, Panelist
Select Film Presentations
2022 Summerworks – Ghosts Don’t Need Passports Video Installation | Toronto, ON
2022 Chicago South Asian Film Festival – Official Selection: Tigress | USA
2022 London Indian Film Festival – Official Selection: Tigress | London, UK
2022 CBC Gem – Tigress (Now streaming )
2021 Rising Sun Film Festival – Official Selection: Tigress | Japan
2021 Goa Short Film Festival – Official Selection: Tigress |India
2021 Reel Asian Film Festival – Official Selection: Tigress | Toronto, ON
2021 Cannes Court Metrage – Official Selection: Tigress | France
2021 Festival de Nouveau Cinema – Official Selection: Tigress | Montreal, QC
2020 Garden State Film Festival- Official Selections: Arrival Archives, Me Too, Air Show | Ashbury Park, NJ
2019 – 2021 CBC Gem – Air Show
2019 Filmi South Asian Film Festival – Official Selections: Arrival Archives, Air Show | Toronto, ON
2019 Gimli Film Festival- Official Selection: Arrival Archives | Gimli, MA
2019 ReFrame Film Festival – Official Selection: Arrival Archives | Peterborough, ON
2019 DOXA Film Festival – Official Selection: Arrival Archives | Vancouver, CA
2019 The Americas Film Festival of New York (TAFFNY) – Official Selection: Air Show | New York City, NY
2019 Art With Impact- Screening: Me Too | Los Angeles, CA
2018 Ryerson White Privilege Conference – Air Show | Toronto, ON
2017 Edinburgh Fringe – Post-Memory Video Installation| Scotland
Bio
Maya Bastian is an award winning filmmaker and writer with roots in conflict journalism. Her work frequently explores the trauma related to displacement and migration. Her film TIGRESS, produced by BLACKOUT MEDIA and India’s JAR PICTURES was nominated for a CCE AWARD and attended CANNES COURT METRAGE 2021. TIGRESS was supported by CBC, NETFLIX and the CANADIAN FILM CENTER. She is in development on her arthouse horror feature ‘THE DEVIL’S TEARS with KARMA FILMS and FAE PICTURES and is currently show running a 1/2 hour comedy series on race & representation ‘HOW TO BE BROWN’ with CINEFAM as well as co-writing and directing a paranormal mystery series with REFLECTOR ENTERTAINMENT. She specializes in exploring untold stories from around the world, integrating the voices of each unique community through active engagement, research and open dialogue. .
A recipient of the 2023 Chalmer’s Fellowship for mid-career artists, Maya’s video installations and mixed-media artwork have shown at the Colombo Art Biennale, Gallery 46 Whitechapel, Shoshana Wayne LA, Artworks Downtown SF, The Design Exchange, Summerworks and Edinburgh Fringe. She has spent extensive time in conflict and post-conflict zones such as Sri Lanka, Iraq, Palestine and Cambodia teaching documentary filmmaking and learning from communities.
