Adolfas Mekas | |
---|---|
Born | 30 September 1925 Semeniškiai, Biržai, Lithuania |
Died | 31 May 2011 | (aged 85)
Nationality | Lithuanian |
Field | Cinema |
Movement | Avant-garde cinema |
Adolfas Mekas (30 September 1925 – 31 May 2011) was a Lithuanian-born film director, and brother of Jonas Mekas. He is principally known for his work in the United States.
Prior to World War II, Adolfas and Jonas Mekas had set up a theatre. Later, in a camp for displaced persons, they studied with a teacher of the Stanislavsky System.[1] The brothers emigrated to the United States in 1949. They studied with Hans Richter before establishing Film Culture magazine in 1955.[2]
Mekas directed a number of films including Hallelujah the Hills and Going Home, both of which are considered landmarks of the New American Cinema movement.[3][4] In 1971 he joined the newly formed film department at Bard College, which was soon dubbed the "Peoples' Film Department" under his chairmanship. He continued to teach at Bard until retiring in May 2004.