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In Memoriam · 1922 – 2019

Person · Director

Jonas Mekas

A visionary Lithuanian-American artist and poet, Jonas Mekas fights to preserve the soul of independent cinema as he pioneers the avant-garde movement in 1960s New York, defying commercial norms to build a legacy that reshapes film forever.

Born
1922
Died
2019
  • Also:
  • Cinematographer
  • Editor
70
Credits on file
7
Decades active

In short · Directed for seven decades — 70 credits.

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Biography

Jonas Mekas was a Lithuanian-American filmmaker, poet, and artist known as "the godfather of American avant-garde cinema." His work has been exhibited in museums and film festivals globally. Mekas played a central role in New York City's experimental film community, co-founding Anthology Film Archives, The Film-Makers' Cooperative, and the journal *Film Culture*. He also held the position of the first film critic for *The Village Voice*, contributing significantly to the development of American independent and experimental cinema.

Filmography · 37 of 37

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Director

24 credits

Writer

2 credits

Actor

9 credits

Cinematographer

1 credit

Other crew

1 credit

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Additional credits33Show

Non-headline appearances — talk-show, awards-show, panel, and archive-footage credits, kept separate from the main filmography.

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