A film about Meredith Monk: composer, performer, visionary.

The boundary-breaking artist Meredith Monk overcame a hostile critical establishment to become one of the great innovators of her generation. In the midst of her latest creation, Indra’s Net, Monk faces mortality: can such singular work be performed without her?

Featuring interviews with Björk and David Byrne, Monk in Pieces is a mosaic that illuminates Monk’s wildly original vocabulary of sound and imagery. The film recently had its world premiere at the Berlinale, where it was nominated for the prestigious Teddy Award.

Reviews from the Berlinale

“A highly engaging, very human story about an uncompromising female artist battling to keep her unique vision alive…”

— Stephen Dalton, The Film Verdict

“…deftly reflects Monk’s own approach to her iconoclastic art, forcing us to listen with a different ear, to look closer not away.”

— Lauren Wissot, Filmmaker Magazine

**“The scenes in which Björk describes her intense feelings and amazement are among the numerous beautiful moments of Monk in Pieces…”**

— Andreas Köhnemann, Kino-Zeit

“Billy Shebar and David C Roberts present the rich tapestry of Monk’s music… soaring vocalisations that swoop and loop across her three-octave range…”

— Amber Wilkinson, Screen International

“…the best celebration that could be offered for an artist who found so much in her own voice.”

— Stephen Saito, The Moveable Fest

“Oh, oh! Do not let Billy Shebar and David Roberts’ love letter to Meredith Monk pass unnoticed… A film that makes us fans…”

— Rui Pedro Tendinha, TSF Radio

Previously screened at

Accolades

Nominations
Teddy Award for Best Documentary, Berlin Int’l Film Festival
TV3 Award for Best Documentary, DocsBarcelona
Indiemusic Schweppes Award, IndieLisboa

A film by
Billy Shebar

Directed, written, and produced by
Billy Shebar and David Roberts

Producer
Susan Margolin

Co-producers
Katie Geissinger, Sabine Krayenbühl

Executive Producers
Ellynne Skove, Elissa Leonard, Elliott Joseph

Consulting Producers
Jax Deluca, Caroline Libresco, Daniel Polin

Animation
Paul Barritt

Cinematography
Jeff Hutchens, Ben Stechschulte

Editor
Sabine Krayenbühl

Archival Producers
Judy Aley, Vanessa Maruskin

Sound Design
Dominic Bartolini

**Please consider supporting Monk in Pieces.**

Although most of our production costs were covered by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, we’re relying on donations to help us with the high cost of licensing music and archival footage for distribution around the world. So please help if you can. Donations are 100% tax deductible and processed by our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, the International Documentary Association. We value donations of any amount.

Donate

If you’d like to make a donation via check or ACH transfer, or a stock donation, please contact us at info@110thstreet.com.

If you’d like to join the Monk in Pieces team as an Executive Producer, or work with us on outreach and distribution, please contact us and we’ll welcome you into the circle of artists, musicians, and enthusiasts supporting this film.

“I first heard Meredith Monk’s music in 1989…”

Read Director's Statement

FLORIAN TESSLOFF 2025-02-26 at 9.03.52 AM.jpeg

The Monk in Pieces team at the Berlinale.

Q&A with Billy Shebar, Sabine Krayenbuhl, and Paul Barritt at the film's world premiere

Billy Shebar, Sabine Krayenbuhl, and Susan Margolin at the film's premiere

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