In Memory & Thankfulness,
Jonas Mekas (24.12.1922 – 23.01.2019)
Short synopsis:
A personal film about lithuanian refugee Jonas Mekas, who, in New
York, became a great inspirer for independent film,
poetry and people. Filmed between 2015 and 2020, mainly in Brooklyn, with son
Sebastian, and many friends - like Jim Jarmusch,
John Waters, Julian Schnabel - at auction for the Harry Smith-Heaven & Earth
Library; …then visiting Hamburg(Golden Poodle), Berlin, Leipzig, Kassel(documenta), for film- and book-presentations. Some
flashbacks, and footage from Jonas-films, about “home”, feeling lost, and
memory, then again with extreme positive energy. And very alive
memorial-events at St.Marks
Church, AnthologyFilmArchives
in East-Village, and in Birzai, the place of Jonas’
childhood, in the fields of Lithuania,
with a silver cow. Jonas, who was called “Godfather Of American film-avantgarde”, often laughed: “I am a farmer boy.”
Music: Matthias Schuster, Das Institut, Geisterfahrer, Peter Brötzmann, Saal 2, Bürgermeister Der Nacht, Auguste Varkalis, Now We Are Here Band, Jonas, Julius
Ziz ...
Guests: Sebastian Mekas,
Hollis Melton, Oona Mekas, Jim Jarmusch, John Waters, Julian Schnabel, John Leland, Michael Stipe, Andy
Lampert, Vyt Bakaitis, Steve Buscemi, Patti Smith, Allen Ginsberg, Phong Bui, Indra
Drevinskaitè, Heike Geißler, Anne König, Mario, Holger
Steen, and friends, horses,
cows and happy birds…
           
Director Statement (Peter Sempel, 6/21)
Jonas Mekas, in honour and memory... he became
96... Such an energetic and wonderful music, film, art, and life-inspirer!
..We met end of the 80s in NY, and since then often also around half the
world, with camera. ...He reads, at home in Brooklyn,
f.ex. some parts of his book "I Had Nowhere To
Go", saying how he envies the gypsies... This is over 30 years my 4.th
film about Jonas, and still only glimpses into his fascinating life... Many
great loving friends repeat his "Keep dancing, singing, have a good
drink, and don´t get too serious!",...yes, i sveikata! ...I remember very well
one of my last scenes when I filmed Jonas, as he was filming a big flock of
singing birds and he cheered: "Look, the birds are happy!"
A few Film-moments, text in progress: information for website, P.Sempel, 6/21:)
       
This is a longtime project about Jonas Mekas. 1994: Jonas in the Desert (104min, 16mm), 2002:
Jonas At The Ocean (94min, 16mm), 2013: Jonas In The Jungle (98min, BluRay, Digibeta)
How it started: his film "He Stands In A Desert Counting The Seconds
Of His Life" which i saw at the Int. Film
Festival Torino 1985, and his presentation of my film DANDY at Anthology Film
Archives in 1989. Then he was a special guest for one minute in the Kazuo Ohno film "Just Visiting This Planet", sitting
on his refridgerator next to a big clock and then
said: (which he doesn't remember) "hey, why don't you make a whole film about
me?", like saying "give me the apple over there".. Over the
years we had many meetings, drinks and films.
Vita
(Peter Sempel): Born in Hamburg, grew up in Australian bush, no
electricity, to school on horseback. As teenager back in Hamburg, Abitur,
hobby: undergroundmusic +opera, started films 1981
because of music, and dance. Many shorts, and 14 long films, with Blixa Bargeld, Nick Cave, Nina
Hagen, 2films Kazuo Ohno, 3films Jonas Mekas, Flamenco, Ginsberg, Patti, Lemmy
(Motörhead), Meese+Artscene,
Jazzer Peter Brötzmann,
Dieter Meier/Yello, Bazon
Brock, …, many independents and animals. Often presents his films (and fotos) personally, in all kinds of places, but best in
cinemas!
LONG LIVE ANTHOLOGY FILM
ARCHIVES!!...
mailto:sempel@t-online.de
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