IN THE MIRROR OF MAYA DEREN

Behind the mirrors. In the Mirror of Maya Deren presents the fascinating biography of a legendary artist. With her independently produced experimental film poems, Maya Deren contributed to the development of the American avant-garde cinema tradition after 1945, along with filmmakers such as Kenneth Anger, Jonas Mekas and Stan Brakhage. A central figure of the New York underground, she also became an important figure in the early days of feminist cinema. Through her film work, theoretical film writings and lectures, she made a huge contribution to building up an audience and an infrastructure for independent film.

The famous "Botticcelli-picture" from Deren's first film Meshes of the Afternoon became emblematic of the American avant-garde film: the metaphoric mirror gaze suggests modern perception and, more specifically the changes of identity in feminine self representation. Her work with choreography and rhythm and her interest in ethnography led her to Haiti, where she became initiated as a Voodoo priestess. Through unpublished footage from Jonas Mekas' famous Anthology Film Archive, recordings of Deren, and many interviews, the young deceased legend becomes stunningly alive again in front of our eyes.

"How can a little girl born in Russiaand reared in Syracuse, New York, find happiness as a Voodoo priestess in Greenwich Village? That question sort of sums up the story of Maya Deren, who was one of the most complex and legendary personalities among independent filmmakers of the 1940s and 50s." (Stan Brakhage)

Awards: Vienna Film Award, 2001; Dance Screen Award for Best Documentary, Monaco 2002

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