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My Loving Ma

Three sisters from Johannesburg, South Africa, unravel their deceased mother's story of finding a purpose after she endured domestic abuse, inflicted by their father.

“My Loving Ma” is a documentary where Laila Vaga, our filmmaker, uncovers her deceased grandmother - Ma’s journey of finding a purpose within the Hare Krishna after enduring abuse from Laila’s grandfather. The filmmaker conducts interviews with her mother, Dina and aunts, Deviya and Deksha to piece together Ma’s story.  ​

BTS Photos at the Hare Krishna Temple:

Photos of Ma and her family:

Meet Our Crew!

The talented team behind My Loving Ma.

Laila Vaga:
From an early age, I immersed myself in the art of storytelling, initially exploring my passion through acting and then venturing into directing as well as writing. Growing up, I was very close to my grandmother, affectionately known as Ma, who played a pivotal role as one of my primary caregivers. I am incredibly excited to tell my grandmother's story through this documentary while bonding with my family and the culture I grew up in.

Hailey McGuigan:
I am honoured to work on such a personal project of Laila's and have the opportunity to get to learn more about the Hare Krishna and what a fundamental and loving person Ma was to Laila's family. Seeing this documentary come to life in such a beautiful way has been an incredible experience.

Kush Venture:
Working on a project like My Loving Ma was a deeply emotional experience for me. Getting the privilege to tell a story about such an amazing person who took their life into their own hands and left with such a positive impact on the world has been nothing short of incredible.

Owen Sparks:
I am excited to work on this project because I understand how important family was to me growing up, and cutting this project is a new style that I have yet to try!

Emma Wood:
I'm excited to work on this project because we have such an amazing and passionate team. I loved my Grandma so much while she was still around, so I connect deeply with My Loving Ma, and, of course, I'm always excited to work with Laila!

Sophia Di Palma:
I'm honoured to be apart of such a meaningful project and to have worked with such an amazing crew. I hope viewers enjoy My Loving Ma as much as I enjoyed being part of it. 

David Cuevas:
I'm excited because I found the subject matter to be very powerful. Although I personally don't practice, I find faith narratives to be harrowing. They often provide greater picture of the human condition. Laila's family lineage has a very moving story at its core; a universal message told with diligence and empathy. I'm excited for more people to see the film because of this.

Leah Barrington:
I'm excited to work on this project because it tells a story that I think will resonate with a lot of people. I hope it can also empower those in similar situations to have the courage to find their way out. This story is incredibly special and I'm proud to be apart of sharing it.

Sam Koabel:
I'm very excited to be working on this project because I believe that the stories of those involved are important, and I hope that my recordings are able to help tell those stories in a meaningful way.

Keaton Browning:
I feel so privileged to have helped on this project! I hope people resonate with the film as much as I did and I can't wait for people to see it.

Lileean Bardai:
I am so happy to be working on My Loving Ma with such an incredibly talented crew, telling a story that has touched my heart and that I hope will touch the hearts of many others.