Maya Bastian

Maya Bastian is an award winning Tamil-Canadian filmmaker and artist with roots in conflict journalism. She is the recent recipient of the prestigious Chalmer’s Fellowship. Her most recent film TIGRESS, was supported by CBC, NETFLIX and the Canadian Film Centre, and participated in Cannes Court Metrage 2021. Her video installations and mixed-media artwork have shown at Edinburgh Fringe, Colombo Art Biennale, Gallery 46 Whitechapel, Shoshana Wayne LA, Artworks Downtown SF and more.

She has taught filmmaking and storytelling to youth in Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Palestine with the aid of organizations such as American Aid, the United Nations, Internews and Schools Without Borders. Her students have ranged in age from 9 to 80 years old. She believes in community solidarity and grassroots mobilization as an effort to heal intergenerational trauma from conflict.

Toronto, Canada