DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHTMonae Kyhara
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What inspired you to explore grief through African-American dance and cinema in Death of the Monarch?
One of my interests is exploring and observing human behavior and seeing the ways we communicate without using words. Body language can make things so much clearer during foggy conversations. The use of praise worship was more like a way of sharing the gospel of someone so loved, that the people who loved them felt too overwhelmed to speak. |
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How do you portray the nonlinear nature of grief in the film, and what themes or techniques did you use to show the healing process?
The traditional stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. I liked the idea of singling off people in the beginning, relative to the way individuals start finding out the news, finding themselves thinking about the loss, who they were/are, and what life was like before that day. using layering to show that others are doing the same, and possibly thinking about others in the community, but haven't made contact yet. We then see others that are always together or come together later on in varying conditions stable, static, and scattershot. The facade of the black empty space begins to break, revealing more of the real world, and the pain of others becomes more noticeable, repeating images of the same people as though they can see themselves in the others around them. Overall, the way of movement, layering, matched rhythms of the bodies, and music, helped curate this vision.
The traditional stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. I liked the idea of singling off people in the beginning, relative to the way individuals start finding out the news, finding themselves thinking about the loss, who they were/are, and what life was like before that day. using layering to show that others are doing the same, and possibly thinking about others in the community, but haven't made contact yet. We then see others that are always together or come together later on in varying conditions stable, static, and scattershot. The facade of the black empty space begins to break, revealing more of the real world, and the pain of others becomes more noticeable, repeating images of the same people as though they can see themselves in the others around them. Overall, the way of movement, layering, matched rhythms of the bodies, and music, helped curate this vision.
How did your own experiences or stories from others influence the narrative, especially around the loss of a family matriarch?
Growing up Southern Baptist, I learned how important the church was for my family, and praise worship had been my choice of activity after my parents said "Pick one thing, and we'll leave you alone." There's a lot of passion in dance, and it felt the most natural for a dedication. This was the first death on the paternal side that I was old enough to remember, and being the youngest of everyone I saw people I had "known" for so long that I felt I would never truly know, in a way that felt so real. They had to be honored too.
Growing up Southern Baptist, I learned how important the church was for my family, and praise worship had been my choice of activity after my parents said "Pick one thing, and we'll leave you alone." There's a lot of passion in dance, and it felt the most natural for a dedication. This was the first death on the paternal side that I was old enough to remember, and being the youngest of everyone I saw people I had "known" for so long that I felt I would never truly know, in a way that felt so real. They had to be honored too.
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How do you hope the film resonates with audiences, especially in how it portrays grief and healing within African-American culture?
I think grief is only a matter of being seen and heard, it's a reminder of something so great, that it tides into us over and over. I hope this resonates in a way that explains something that couldn't be said but was only felt, and they can refer to this film even after the first time. |
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Monae Kyhara is an experimental multimedia artist raised in San Antonio, TX. She has attended The University of Texas at San Antonio and Syracuse University focusing on Studio Arts, New Media, and Film. With works having the opportunity to be shown at BlueStar and The Images Festival, she now continues to build her portfolio, and strengthen their work at Institut für Alles Mögliche in Berlin, Germany for the fall of 2024.
You can find more about her work here : Monae Kyhara |
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