Documentary Movie Review Matangi Maya M I A

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A movie about the life, music and political activism of rapper M.I.A (Mathangi Arulpragasam), a young London based singer, actress, movie maker and political activist. M.I.A (an ambiguous name mixing elements of her name with Maya (the veil of illusion) and the military acronym for Missing In Action), was born in London to Sri Lankan Tamil parents in 1975. The family returned to Sri Lanka when she was just six months old, and her father was a leading activist and the family had to go into hiding because of the civil war raging in Sri Lanka. Mathangi was eventually taken to Madras in India for her own safety. After a brief return to Sri Lanka, Mathangi Arulpragasam, and her mother moved back to London in 1986, as refugees fleeing the atrocities of the war. The faced appalling racism in London, but Mathangi learned English, and graduated in art and film making Her films about the indie and rap music scene led to her working as a film-maker with the punk band Elastica, Influenced by the bands she saw and music from the radios of her neighbours, Mathangi Arulpragasam started dabbling in music herself, and eventually she was encouraged to make some recordings. Her work was largely promoted online, through Myspace and other music sites. Many of her songs reflect the Sri Lankan crisis, combat racism, and such. A fellow film maker, Steve Loveridge made a movie about M. I. A. - Matangi/Maya/M.I.A, in 2018. The film looks at her remarkable history, often using home movies shot by Mathangi and her family, including harrowing, often violent footage from the civil war conflict itself. I thought it was really good. I have heard of M I A, though never really followed her career much. (I do like some Rap music). I think the film is really at its best showing her struggle to get various TV interviewers to take her concerns seriously, and not treat her like she was there to sing, talk about the joys of fame and go away. The segment with Bill Maher interrupting her to ask her trivially if all Tamils born and living in London sound like Mick Jagger is really cringeworthy. The footage of the civil war, and the encroachment of the army on the safe zone for civilians is horrific. Her music is pretty good and often does convey her concerns brilliantly. The added video for Borders is really striking. People climbing high fences, in formation as castle-forts, etc Arthur Chappell