Jonas Mekas, born on December 24, 1922, in Semeniskiai, Birzai, Lithuania, is a multifaceted creative force who has left an indelible mark on the world of film, arts, and media.
With a career spanning over six decades, Mekas has earned the esteemed title "The Godfather of American Avant-Garde Cinema" due to his tireless contributions to the medium.
In 1944, Mekas fled his homeland with his brother Adolfas due to the war, and they were imprisoned in a labor camp in Elmshorn, Germany. After eight months, they managed to escape to Denmark, and by the end of 1949, the Mekas brothers emigrated to the United States, settling in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York.
Just two weeks after his arrival, Mekas purchased his first 16mm camera, a Bolex, and began recording brief moments of his life. This marked the beginning of his involvement in the American Avant-Garde film movement.
In 1954, Mekas co-founded Film Culture magazine with his brother, which would go on to become the most important film publication in the United States. Two years later, he started his legendary Movie Journal column in the Village Voice, which would become a platform for him to share his thoughts on film and the avant-garde movement.
In 1962, Mekas founded the Film-Makers' Cooperative, and in 1964, he established the Film-Makers' Cinematheque, which would eventually evolve into Anthology Film Archives, one of the world's largest and most important repositories of avant-garde cinema, as well as a screening venue.
Throughout his illustrious career, Mekas has directed numerous films, including "The Brig," which won the Grand Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 1963. Some of his other notable works include "Walden" (1969),"Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania" (1972),"Lost Lost Lost" (1975),"Scenes from the Life of Andy Warhol" (1990),"Scenes from the Life of George Maciunas" (1992),"As I was Moving Ahead I saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty" (2000),"Letter from Greenpoint" (2005),"Sleepless Nights Stories" (2011),and "Out-takes from the Life of a Happy Man" (2012).
In 2007, Mekas embarked on an ambitious project, creating a series of 365 short films, one film every day, which were released on the internet. Since then, he has continued to share new work on his website.
Jonas Mekas currently resides and works in New York City, where he continues to inspire and influence generations of filmmakers and artists.
