MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A.(HKAFF 2018)

Panorama Dokumente, Berlin International Film Festival

World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award, Sundance Film Festival

The journey of Sri Lankan-British musician M.I.A – real name Mathangi Arulpragasm – from outsider to global pop stardom has been fraught with controversy. Director Steve Loveridge was given unfettered access to set the record straight with this unconventional documentary about an unconventional pop icon. Compiled from 700 hours of home video footage, the film traces Arulpragasam’s life, from growing up as a refugee in the UK to some of her career’s most controversial moments, including her outspoken political comments, her activism against human rights abuses in her home country, and her uneasy relationship with the media.