Date of Birth: December 24, 1922
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
Date of Death: January 23, 2019
Biography
Jonas Mekas was a Lithuanian-American filmmaker, poet, and artist who is widely regarded as the godfather of avant-garde cinema. Born in the small village of Semeniškiai, Lithuania, Mekas experienced the horrors of World War II, including time in a forced labor camp. After the war, he emigrated to the United States in 1949 with his brother Adolfas. Settling in New York City, Mekas quickly became a central figure in the avant-garde film movement. In 1962, Mekas co-founded the Film-Makers’ Cooperative, an artist-run organization dedicated to the distribution of independent films. A year later, he started Film Culture magazine, which became a significant publication for avant-garde and independent cinema. He also began writing a column for The Village Voice, which further cemented his influence in the film community. Mekas’s own films are often diary-like, capturing everyday moments with a lyrical, poetic quality. His notable works include “Walden” (1969), “Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania” (1972), and “As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty” (2000). Beyond his filmmaking, Mekas was an active archivist, preserving countless independent films through Anthology Film Archives, which he founded in 1970.
5 Interesting Facts about Jonas Mekas
1. Jonas Mekas was imprisoned in a forced labor camp during World War II before emigrating to the United States.
2. He co-founded the Film-Makers’ Cooperative in 1962, an essential institution for independent filmmakers.
3. He wrote a regular column for The Village Voice, where he championed avant-garde cinema.
4. Mekas founded Anthology Film Archives in 1970, a key institution for preserving independent and experimental films.
5. His films often take the form of cinematic diaries, capturing the beauty of everyday life.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Jonas Mekas
1. “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
2. “In the very end, civilizations perish because they listen to their politicians and not to their poets.”
3. “I live, therefore I make films. I make films, therefore I live.”
4. “As a filmmaker, I travel around the world, and I meet people, and I always come back home to New York.”
5. “The real history of cinema is the invisible history: history of friends getting together, doing the thing they love.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Jonas Mekas’s net worth at its peak is not well-documented, but his contributions to the arts and film are considered invaluable.
Children
Jonas Mekas had two children, Sebastian Mekas and Oona Mekas, who have both been involved in the arts.
Relevant Links
1. [Jonas Mekas on IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0576764/
2. [Anthology Film Archives](http://anthologyfilmarchives.org/
3. [Film-Makers’ Cooperative](http://film-makerscoop.com/
4. [Jonas Mekas Official Site](http://jonasmekas.com/
5. [The Criterion Collection: Jonas Mekas](https://www.criterion.com/people/64727-jonas-mekas
