BIO

She was born in Guadeloupe, grew up in Paris and lives between New York and Pointe-à-Pitre. She has a Master’s degree from the Sorbonne University & Smith College. She began her career at BBDO Advertising where she produced commercials for Pepsi, Visa and Gillette.

Her first directorial piece, Knowledge is Power, was commissioned by the New York City Health Department in 1998 to raise HIV/AIDS awareness. In 2002, Sweet Mickey for President? won best documentary at the Reel Sisters Film Festival in NY. Monpierre’s first theatrical work, a short film Rendez-Vous, was nominated for the Djibril Diop Mambety Award in partnership with the Directors Fortnight in Cannes.

Her first feature-length ELZA (Le Bonheur d’Elza) was the NY Times Critics’ Pick when released at the theater and won several awards including the BAFTA Choice Award, The Jury Award for Best Director First Feature at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles; and the Paul Robeson Award at FESPACO. Between 2 Shores, a story about two immigrants from the Dominican Republic, aired on PBS/AfroPop series.

Her documentary Towards Mecca on Muslims in the West Indies aired on France Televisions and won the special jury award at FEMI festival.