BIO

Passionate about cinema, Maharaki directed her first short film, INDIES, in 1999.

In 2002, while still a student at l’Ecole International de Création Audiovisuelle et de Réalisation (EICAR), Maharaki produced and directed the short film INNOCENTS which participates in international festivals such as FESPACO in Burkina Faso and Vues D'Afrique in Quebec.

In 2004, as part of the closing promotional event for EICAR, from which she graduated with a "Bachelor in Fine Arts - Audio Visual & Film Production", accredited by the European Accreditation Board of Higher Education Schools (EABHES), Maharaki wins the Grand Jury Prize for her short film DIG IT.

Awarded at the Forum des Images in Paris and presented in the presence of the director Oliver STONE, this Grand prize recognizes a fun short film whose main role, played by Edouard MONTOUTE, earns the actor the Prize for Best Performance.

Over the years, Maharaki has received numerous awards for her short films, music videos and advertisements. The quality of her work leads her to collaborate with international brands such as L'Oreal, Garmin, Avon, Carterpillar and Instyle.

In Barbados, where she lived for nearly fifteen years, she directed music videos, notably for the band Krosfyah and the singer Indrani, advertisements for Caribbean brands, produced audiovisual content for Carribbean Export and Invest Barbados and participated in shoots alongside international stars such as Shontelle and Rihanna.

In 2011, Maharaki created his production company, ROCK ROSE, which made excellence one of its founding values. Based in Martinique, ROCK ROSE mainly produces fiction and regularly offers introductory workshops to scriptwriting and filmmaking. ROCK ROSE is also strongly involved in image transmission and education in non-profit organizations and schools.

Not losing sight of her dreams of cinema, Maharaki traveled the world, during the year 2014, with her short film, VIVRE, selected at more than fifty films festivals and awarded 11 awards in less than a year.

At the end of 2017, Maharaki directed her first feature-length documentary, JOCELYNE, MI TCHE MWEN. Produced by Riddim Production and co-produced by Canal + Antilles and Canal + Guyane, the intimate and touching portrait of singer Jocelyne BEROARD, the only female member of the legendary group KASSAV', has won several awards and has deeply moved the general audience.

During 2020, Maharaki directs and produces PROJET H. Shot in one night and post produced in confinement, the short film, based on a West Indian joke, humorously questions US imperialism and the ability of countries under domination to take their destiny into their own hands. Registered at numerous festivals around the world, PROJET H is in the official selection of the Reel Sisters of the Diaspora film festival & lectures Series, first Academy Qualifying Film Festival for narrative shorts devoted to women of color.

Maharaki is actively working on the production of her first feature film, a modern romantic comedy scheduled for filming in Martinique.

FILMOGRAPHY & AWARDS

Affiche PROJET H - awards october 2021.jpg

2020 - PROJET H

(5 min, Rock Rose) Official selection :

Official selection - 12°N61°W Film Festival (1261 Film Festival), Grenada
Official selection - Twin Cities Black Film Festival, USA
Official selection - San Antonio Black Film Festival, USA
Official selection - Detroit Black Film Festival, USA
Honorable jury mention - Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival
Official selection - Montreal International Black Film Festival, Canada
BEST SHORT FILM - Black Star International Film Festival, Accra Ghana
Official selection - Los Angeles Black Film Festival, USA
BEST COMEDY - CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, Canada
Official selection - DC Black Film Festival, Washington USA
Official selection - Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival, Silicon Valley, USA
BEST ACTRESS IN A SHORT - Las Vegas Black film Festival, USA
Official selection - Festival international de cinéma Vues d'Afrique, Canada
Official selection - Santa Barbara Film Festival, USA
Official selection - Montreal Independant Film festival, Canada
Official selection - The Pan African film festival, Los Angeles, USA
Official selection - Toronto Black Film festival, Canada
Official selection - Reel Sisters Film Festival Brooklyn, USA
Official selection - Cinémartinique festival, Martinique
Official selection - Festival Monde en Vues, Guadeloupe
Official selection - Cinestar, Guadeloupe
Semi-Finalist - Flicker’s Rhode Island International Film Festival, USA
Semi-Finalist - Gold Movie Awards, London

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2017 - JOCELYNE MI TCHE MWEN

(90 min, Riddim Productions, Canal + Antilles, Canal + Guyane)

Best Documentary Award, New Regards Festival, Guadeloupe - 2018
CAURIS Prize for the best film from the diaspora, Africlap Festival, Toulouse - 2018
CINESTAR Prize, Cinestar Festival, Guadeloupe - 2018
MEMORIAL ACTe Prize, Cinestar Festival, Guadeloupe - 2018

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2013 - VIVRE

(13 min, Arts & Vision Productions, Rock Rose, Nomades Productions)

Youth Jury Prize, Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, USA – 2014
Prix du meilleur court-métrage de fiction, Festival International du Film Insulaire de Groix, France – 2014
Prix regards Francophone, Festival du film court de Troyes, France – 2014
Blue Wave Award, Lakeshorts films festival, Toronto, Canada – 2014
Audience Choice Award, Lakeshorts films festival, Toronto, Canada – 2014
Prix de Court Canal +, Festival prix de Court, Antilles Guyane – 2014
Meilleur Court-métrage International, Festival Internacional de Mujeres en Corto, Rép.Dominicaine – 2014
Prix FEMI dans les murs, Festival Régional et International du film de Guadeloupe – 2014
Grand Jury Prize, Bahamas International Film Festival – 2013
Second Jury Prize, Ciné Global, République Dominicaine – 2013
Prix du Public, Festival Courts des îles, Tahiti, Polynésie Française – 2013

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Whatch the Making Of

2011 - UN ACHAT COMPULSIF

(5 min, HD, Rock Rose, Nomades Productions)

Prix du Public, Festival Prix de Court, Martinique – 2011
Mention Spéciale du Jury pour l’humour, Festival Prix de Court, Martinique – 2011

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2006 - HOLDING ON

(35 min, DV, Rain Warrior, Cosmic Flow Production, Barbade)

Best Director, Bridgetown Film Festival, Barbade - 2007

2003 - DIG IT

(8 min, DV, EICAR Paris)

Sélection officielle AISFF, Asiana International Short film festival, Corée du Sud - 2006
Sélection officielle, Festival Les Arts s’Affichent, Martinique – 2005
Grand Prix du Jury, Projection de clôture de promotion EICAR, Paris – 2004

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2002 - INNOCENT

(5 min, DV, EICAR Paris)

Mention Spéciale du Jury, Festival Ekoclap, Martinique – 2010
Sélection officielle Festival Les arts s’affichent, Martinique - 2005
Sélection officielle Festival Vues d’Afrique, Québec – 2003
Sélection officielle FESPACO, Burkina Faso – 2002

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1999 - INDIES

(5 min, DV, Production personnelle)

Sélection officielle, Festival Clip Clap Couleur Caraïbe, Martinique – 2000