Zaita Media is a woman-owned production company in Toronto. Our productions foster an environment that celebrates inclusion, responsible practices, and diverse representation. When it comes to creating beautiful stories, we believe these initiatives are a strength to bring to every production.

ARIAS is a collaboration with renowned portrait photographer V. Tony Hauser. A virtual exhibition featuring 14 Canadian opera singers, with each portrait accompanied by a short documentary about the subject. Artists shed light on their personal journeys, what opera means to them, and making the art form accessible, inclusive, and reflective of Canada. We’re proud to showcase the folks behind Amplified Opera and Opera InReach, organizations dedicated to equity and diversity in opera.
The full documentary exhibition is available on Tony’s website. ARIAS is directed by Celine Chiturai, produced by Cierra Wieja, and filmed and edited by Nicolas Lehmann.

“something we didn’t know we needed... a completely welcome visit with some of Canada’s most exciting artists. Better yet, it’s a fiercely accurate capturing of a moment in opera’s history... when incredibly disciplined artists expand themselves into the dual worlds of tradition and progression.”

- OPERACANADA REVIEW

Official Selection: Durban International Film Festival, Toronto Short Film Festival, Saint-Petersburg International Film Festival, Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival, TO Indie Night

Finalist: Shiver International Film Festival

the maidenswood

2021 SHORT FILM

We are thrilled to be part of Kasia Peruzzi’s The Maidenswood, with Celine serving as a producer and Cierra as editor.

The story goes that girls fleeing violence, abuse, grief and despair could find refuge in the woods at the edge of town, where they slowly transformed into the trees, bushes and flowers which made up the forest. Diana, a young girl reeling from the return of her abusive father, begins to hear the Maidenswood's call.

2020 SHORT FILM

Nowhere Girl follows a young girl named Em as she spends a night out in the city to avoid her unstable home. The story itself is simply about a student trying to finish a homework assignment. I wanted to show some of the problems at-risk youth quietly deal with. Feeling safe at home, owning a computer, and having reliable access a cell phone are privileges that can be hard to see. Not having them creates many barriers in everyday life, especially in education. Most moments from the film are inspired by real life stories I heard or witnessed. Nowhere Girl looks at Toronto’s youth and empathizes with the people who struggle invisibly on a day-to-day basis in order to secure a future.

- Cierra Wieja, Writer/Director

Official Selection: Art Gallery of Hamilton Film Festival, Creation International Film, Festival, The Film Club Toronto

HAPPY PLACE

2021 short fILm

When she can’t seem to fit into her new home, Sophia seeks comfort and safety in her imagination, but each time she visits her refuge, her time there grows shorter and shorter.
I incorporated animation in this live-action film to better understand Sophia’s inner life as she takes pivotal steps out of childhood. Children’s problems are easily cast aside as trivial, but when a kid (or anyone) is experiencing hardship, the difficulties are as real to them as adult troubles are to us. Sophia’s imaginary interactions are filmed the same way as the rest of the films. To her, there is no difference.
It’s important to show diverse characters in more than only stories about trauma or issues related to our identities, and I’m proud that Happy Place demonstrates this.

– Celine Chiturai, Director