Marusya Bociurkiw facts for kids

Marusya Bociurkiw (born May 25, 1958) is a Canadian filmmaker, writer, and teacher. She has written six books, including a novel, poetry, and stories. Her articles have appeared in many magazines and journals.

Marusya has also directed or co-directed eleven films. These films have been shown at festivals around the world. Her work is kept in important collections like the National Gallery of Canada. She helped start media groups like Emma Productions. Today, she lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. She also started The Studio for Media Activism & Critical Thought there.

Early Life and Ukrainian Roots

Marusya Bociurkiw was born in Edmonton, Alberta. Her father, Bohdan Rostyslav Bociurkiw, helped start the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. Ukrainian history and culture were a big part of her childhood. This taught her about her Ukrainian identity. It also made her want to explore this history in new ways.

Her books, essays, and films often look at what it means to be Ukrainian and Canadian. They also explore ideas of fairness and equality for all people. Ksenya Kiebuzinski, from the Munk School of Global Affairs, said Marusya's work shows the many different kinds of people in Ukraine. She helps change how people think.

Education and Creative Work

Marusya studied at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) University. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1982. There, she learned about feminist art and video art. She helped create the Women Artists' File at the NSCAD Library. This file later inspired a similar center in Toronto. She also helped organize an art show called "Performance As Resistance."

After college, she moved to Toronto. In 1984, she co-founded Emma Productions. This group made several films. One film was No Small Change: The Story of the Eaton's Strike (1985). Another was Bullets for a Revolution (1988). Her film Playing with Fire (1986) was part of a traveling art show.

She later made other films, like Unspoken Territory. This film looked at how people were unfairly treated in Canada. Her film This is Gay Propaganda: LGBT Rights and the War in Ukraine (2015) is also well-known. It features interviews with Ukrainians working for human rights during the Euromaidan Revolution. Her newest film, "Analogue Revolution: How Feminist Media Changed the World" (2023), shows how old technologies helped social movements. Her films have won awards worldwide.

Marusya's writing has been published in many places. Her first book, The Woman Who Loved Airports, came out in 1994. It was a collection of short stories. She then published a poetry book, Halfway to the East (1999).

She also continued her studies, earning a PhD from the University of British Columbia in 2005. She became a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2007. During this time, she wrote her novel, The Children of Mary (2006). She also wrote her award-winning memoir, Comfort Food for Breakups (2007). In 2011, she published an academic book, Feeling Canadian: Television Nationalism & Affect.

At Toronto Metropolitan University, Marusya created a space for research on fairness and inclusion. This was called the Studio for Media Activism & Critical Thought. It brought together art, activism, and research. They held events like workshops and discussions. She also created some of the first courses at the university that focused on media for social justice.

Activism and Social Change

Marusya Bociurkiw was active in many social movements. These included groups working for women's rights, peace, and human rights for all people. She was involved with Women's Action for Peace and other groups. She also taught one of the first courses on diverse cinema in Canada.

She was one of the first women to work in media art, a field mostly run by men. She used film and video to highlight issues important to women and workers.

In 2016, she published an article called "Big Affect." It was about the history of Canadian feminist media. She also started an international project called Project Finding Home. This project looks at how art helps people who have moved to new places. Her work continues with her film "Analogue Revolution." She is also curating a film series called "This Is the Feminist Archive."

Published Works

Marusya Bociurkiw's books are known for their clear details. They show the complex feelings within families and histories.

Books and Collections

• The Woman Who Loved Airports (1994)
• Halfway to the East (1999)
• The Children of Mary (2006)
• Comfort Food for Breakups: The Memoir of a Hungry Girl (2007)
• Feeling Canadian: Television Nationalism & Affect (2011)
• Food Was Her Country: The Memoir of a Queer Daughter (2018)
• Recipes for Trouble: A World of Food Stories, Culinary Memories, and Ingredients Queerly Political (2012–2013)
• The Media Studies Blog (rabble.ca, 2010–2014)
• A Girl, Waiting (2015)
• Bringing Back Memory in Unbound: Ukrainian Canadians Writing Home (2016)

Awards and Recognition

Marusya Bociurkiw has received many awards for her work. Her memoir, Comfort Food for Breakups, won the INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award in 2007. It also won a silver medal at the Independent Publisher Book Awards in 2008. It was also nominated for several other awards, including the prestigious Kobzar Literary Award and the Lambda Literary Award.

In 2013, she received the Deans' Scholarly, Research and Creative Activity Award. Her short story, "A Girl, Waiting," was nominated for the 2015 CBC Creative Non-Fiction Award. The book Unbound: Ukrainian Canadians Writing Home, which included her story, won a 2018 Kobzar Award. Her memoir Food Was Her Country was nominated for a 2019 Lambda Award. Her film “Analogue Revolution” has also won awards. These include the Prix de Publique in Montreal and the Spirit of Activism Award in Nevada.