Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. — Official Trailer

source:   www.miadocumentary.com

added: Fri, Jul 20th '18

It's the ultimate immigrant success story. A girl from humble beginnings, who was forced to flee her home country due to a civil war, only to later emerge on the global stage as a successful recording artist and political activist.

British-Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A. opens up about her family history and personal story in the upcoming biographical documentary, which draws from private video diaries and family photos that she took and kept for decades.

Directed by Stephen Loveridge, the film is called "Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.", which is a reference to her life journey, from growing up in the country of Sri Lanka where she was known by her Tamil name, Matangi Arulpragasam, then immigrating to the U.K. as a refugee who went by the nickname "Maya," and to finally becoming an international popstar known to the world as M.I.A.

Winner of the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, the M.I.A. documentary is slated for a September release, first opening in the U.K. on Sept. 21 and then in the U.S. on Sept. 28. In the meantime, you can check out the official trailer, above.

synopsis:
Drawn from a cache of personal video recordings from the past 22 years, director Steve Loveridge's Sundance award winning MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. is a startlingly personal profile of the critically acclaimed artist, chronicling her remarkable journey from refugee immigrant to pop star.

She began as Matangi. Daughter of the founder of Sri Lanka's armed Tamil resistance, she hid from the government in the face of a vicious and bloody civil war. When her family fled to the UK, she became Maya, a precocious and creative immigrant teenager in London. Finally, the world met her as M.I.A. when she emerged on the global stage, having created a mashup, cut-and-paste identity that pulled from every corner of her journey along the way; a sonic sketchbook that blended Tamil politics, art school punk, hip-hop beats and the unwavering, ultra-confident voice of a burgeoning multicultural youth.

Never one to compromise on her vision, Maya kept her camera rolling throughout. MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. provides unparalleled, intimate access to the artist in her battles with the music industry and mainstream media as her success and fame explodes, becoming one of the most recognizable, outspoken and provocative voices in music today.

 

directed by   Steve Loveridge

release date   September 21, 2018 (U.K. release), September 28, 2018 (U.S. release)