Apart But Together
Canada | 2022 | HD | 30 mins
In this web documentary, four artists – Joanna, Diana, Shiva and Monica – come together through online conferencing technology, but remain physically apart, to create a film narrative about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives, work, and creativity. [Work in progress.] Made possible with the funding from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Hair Scarf Digital
Canada | 2022 | Interactive Website
Shiva Shoeybi and Monica Mak join forces again to adapt their 2019 mixed media gallery installation, The Hair Scarf Project, into an interactive website combining 3D animation, mixed media, documentary, sculpture, photography, and user participation. [Work in progress.] Made possible with Digital Now funding from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Make Food Not War
Canada | 2021 | HD | 19 mins
Joy traces the unsaid tension among young Chinese, Korean, and Japanese adults to unresolved feelings about WWII in Asia. While she and friends Rio and Erik explore this tension, they spend one afternoon making “peace dishes” that incorporate ingredients from China, Korea, and Japan, countries in conflict 70+ years earlier.
More information available soon!
Produced by Siobhan Productions in collaboration with ALPHA Production.
Made possible with the financial assistance of the Ontario Arts Council.
The Hair Scarf Project
Monica Mak is pleased to have collaborated with Shiva Shoeybi, an Iranian-Canadian visual artist, on The Hair Scarf Project. This mixed media arts installation combined documentary & textile-based art forms to explore a myriad of issues – ranging from misconceptions about hijabis, Islamophobia , and the concept of modesty and female identity – in relation to the hair scarf.
This work was the culmination of Monica and Shiva’s joint art residency at the Charles Street Video (CSV) Maker Space Program.
The exhibition took place at Charles Street Video at Toronto Arts Media Centre, between 19-28 September 2019. Opening Reception: September 19, 2019, 5-8pm. For more information about the installation, and for gallery hours, please visit https://charlesstreetvideo.com
Saving Our Tongues
Canada | 2017 | HD | 14 mins
Monica Mak and Dr. Anastasia Riehl, founder of the Endangered Language Alliance Toronto , co-direct this film about immigrant speakers of languages under threat of global extinction.
In Saving Our Tongues, Arcangelo, Zouriya, and Rita are immigrant speakers of languages – Cellese, Sri Lanka Malay, and Urhobo – in danger of global extinction. They each embark on different ways to preserve their dying tongues, while living in Toronto, Canada.
Produced by Siobhan Productions Inc. | Co-directed by Monica Mak and Anastasia Riehl. | Produced with the Financial Assistance of:
- The Ontario Arts Council
- The Toronto Arts Council
Distributed by Moving Images Distribution
Saving Our Tongues TRAILER: https://youtu.be/3W34sx0_EyI