About

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 Métrage 2021. Tigress was supported by CBC, Netflix and the Canadian Film Centre. She is in development on her arthouse horror feature The Devil’s Tears with Fae Pictures and a half-hour comedy series on race & representation How To Be Brown with 90th Parallel. She has also recently released a paranormal mystery series with Reflector Entertainment & Bandai Namco. 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.

Honours & Acknowledgements