MONICA SHARF, New York based filmmaker Monica Sharf has a special gift for creating strikingly vivid filmic portraits of real people. Her films have garnered critical acclaim as well as numerous national and international awards. Her current film, “While We Lie Sleeping,” a silent tribute to honor the veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars was shot on 16mm black and white stock with generous in kind contributions from Kodak and Duart film lab in New York.

Sharf’s award-winning film, "TRIBUTE 9.11," was created to capture the emotions, impact, loving and care that flowed from all of the people affected by the day of terror in New York on September 11th. HBO and Brad Grey Pictures used footage from the film in their Emmy Award® winning documentary, "In Memoriam New York City 9/11/01". "Tribute 9.11" was also an Official Entry for the Academy Awards®, and was acquired by the Library of Congress for their National Archives. Additionally, the film received the Women in Film International Finishing Fund Prize and was screened to over 1,000 members of the film industry at the 2002 Crystal & Lucy Awards in Los Angeles.

Other films include her award-winning documentary short, "P.I. SNAPS," which screened at The Museum of Modern Art as part of an International Short Film Festival as well as airing on The Independent Film Channel in early 2002. The film won "Best Documentary" at The Melbourne International Film Festival as well as 5 other awards, and was screened at over 17 festivals in the States and abroad. It features one of the most sought after private investigators in the field of trademark policing.

Sharf also directed a short public service film featuring the legendary jazz, blues and folk artist Odetta, and the Harlem Girls Choir. Other projects include a stylized music video for the torch songstress Queen Esther, and her short on prominent New York painter Serena Bocchino, entitled "OBSERVER HIGHWAY REVISITED," which screened at The Museum of Modern Art as part of an award-winning International Short Film Festival, and aired on The Independent Film Channel.

Sharf's films in development include several feature documentaries “Ghetto Song,” “Inner City Saints,” and “A Matter of Faith,” in addition to a narrative short, “Dark Highway” featuring award-winning actors, Kevin Conway, Paul Calderon and Glynn Turman. She has also produced numerous television commercials, infomercials, corporate image, training and promotional videos.

Graduating from Columbia University's Graduate Arts program with an MFA in Directing, Sharf worked at New York's premier experimental theatre, La Mama; Lincoln Center's The Vivian Beaumont Theatre, La Compagnie du Theatre in Paris, and the Opera Company of Boston. She has also directed several off-off Broadway plays and staged readings. Her work in the theatre, music and in film has led her to work with such artists as Rosie O’Donnell, The B52s, Odetta, Sarah Caldwell, Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, Kelsey Grammer, Ed Hermann, Blythe Danner, Dana Ivey, Sharon Lawrence, and the Duchess of York.