A tribute to the centenary of his birth
Poet, film critic (in Film Culture magazine, which he was one of the founders of, but also in other important newspapers and magazines such as Village Voice or Film Comment), archivist (in the Anthology Film Archives which he founded and managed until his last day), and of course a film director. His diverse works are inherent in the freedom, audaciousness, and non-conformism. These traits were already apparent as a teenager under the Nazi occupation and led him to flee Lithuania in 1944 together with his brother Adolfas, and to settle in the United States after a difficult period in a labor camp in Germany, as well as, in displaced persons camps throughout Europe after the War.
Childhood in the small village of Semeniskiai in Lithuania, and especially the proximity to nature, left a deep impression on Mekas that would be reflected throughout his life in his written work, mainly in poetry, and to a certain extent in his films, which in their essence are nourished by a poetic, open, free spirit, more than by prosaic narrative patterns. the Lithuanian forest will be replaced by the New York urban forest that Mekas discovered in the early 1950s, and where he never stopped walking and filming throughout his life.
The program, showcasing of eight films, offers only a slight, but representative part of the director's work and turns the gaze to the focal strands of his life.
Dr. Ariel Schweitzer, curator of the tribute to Jonas Mekas.
The program was organized on the initiative and with the support of the Lithuanian Cultural Institute in Israel.
The program is part of the international project Jonas Mekas 100! is intended to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Lithuanian-born avant-garde filmmaker, film critic and poet Jonas Mekas in 2022. The programme featuring over 50 various events was put together by the Lithuanian Culture Institute, the Lithuanian Cultural Attachés and the Estate of Jonas Mekas. Diverse events are taking place in well-known cultural institutions in a number of countries around the world. The programme is partially funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.
Calendar of Jonas Mekas 100! programme: www.jonasmekas100.com
