Maya was the recipient of the first Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Work in Motion Pictures in 1946. The next year her films won 'Grand Prix Internationale' for amateur film at Cannes --the first American and first woman to be so honored. (unlisted on Cannes site).

Her last film Very Eye of Night was selected for  the 1959 La Biennale di Venezia Mostra Internationale d’Arte (Venice International Film Festival) Cinematografica.(unlisted on Mostra site.)