Invocation. Maya Deren - ACE167.2

Photograph of Maya Deren. Hella Hammid describing Deren as "the first avant-garde film-maker after Buñuel and Cocteau". Stan Brakhage saying that no-one took seriously the idea of contributors to cinema as artists, but Deren lived an artist’s life. Jonas Mekas says she took a stand for the art of cinema. Views of New York City. Maya Deren’s VO saying that she was a poor poet because her ideas were essentially visual in nature. Credits from Meshes of the Afternoon (1943). Deren’s VO continues, explaining that, with a camera, she no longer had to made "this peculiar transcription". Extract from the film. Hella Hammid, Photographer, talking about Alexander Hammid’s importance to the making of Meshes of the Afternoon as Deren was still learning about film-making at that time. Skyline. Deren’s VO on Hammid’s role. Sasha Hammid, Film-maker, talks about his early cinematic work in America, always having a liking for avant-garde cinema. Photographs of Maya Deren. Commentary describes her early career in Hollywood as publicity assistant to the Katherine Dunham company. Sasha Hammid talks about Deren getting a camera and starting to make films. Extract from Meshes of the Afternoon. Footage of New York. Deren’s VO on her childhood cinema-going and film-making. Hella Hammid on working on At Land (1944). Excerpts. Sasha Hammid on suggesting Deren’s first name. Photographs of Deren and Sasha Hammid; Deren’s VO singing The Man I Love.