Maya Deren, who came to America from the Ukraine, is one of our greatest early experimental filmmakers, beginning in the 1940's. Inspired by poetry, her seminal Meshes of the Afternoon is a self financed art film set in opposition to Hollywood aesthetics. It was awarded the Grand Prix Internationale at Cannes. She went on to gather ethnographic footage of voodoo in Haiti, authoring a book. Her film work there was edited and released in the 1985, as Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti. She was a part of the New York modern dance world, working with Katherine Dunham until her death at age 44 of malnutrition.
In the Mirror of Maya Deren is a documentary made in 2002 about Deren. Guaranteed to be fascinating. Film at the PSU Fifth Avenue Cinema. www.5thavenuecinema.org 510 SW Hall Friday and Saturday 7PM, 9:30; Sunday 3. Free for PSU students & faculty w/ID. $2 for all other students & seniors. $3 General Admission. Free popcorn for all!
