For over 70 years, Jonas Mekas, internationally known as the "godfather" of avant-garde cinema, documented his life in what came to be known as his diary films. From his arrival in New York City as a displaced person in 1949 to his death in 2019, he chronicled the trauma and loss of exile while pioneering institutions to support the growth of independent film in the United States. Fragments of Paradise is an intimate look at his life and work constructed from thousands of hours of his own video and film diaries-including never-before-seen tapes and unpublished audio recordings. It is a story about finding beauty amidst profound loss, and a man who tried to make sense of it all... with a camera.
Awards and Recognition:
Best Documentary on Cinema at Venice Film Festival (2022)
Winner of Grand Jury Prize at Doc NYC (2022)
Official Selections:
Telluride Film Festival (2022)
BFI London Film Festival (2022)
São Paulo International Film Festival (2023)
Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (2023)
Göteborg Film Festival (2023)
Jeonju International Film Festival (2023)
Seattle International Film Festival (2023)
Ghent Film Festival (2023)
Munich Film Festival (2023)
Athens International Film Festival (2023)
Hong Kong International Film Festival (2023)
Porto/Post/Doc (2023)
Vilnius International Film Festival (2023)
Press Reviews:
"What sets ‘Fragments of Paradise’ apart is how much of the movie is built around
never-before-seen footage Mekas shot himself… After a lifetime of him making
introductions, this is the film that allows us to say goodbye.” – Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire
Production Team:
Director: KD Davison
Executive Producer: George Kunhardt, Peter Kunhardt, Teddy Kunhardt, Oona Mekas, Sebastian Mekas
Producer: Leanne Cherundolo, K.D. Davison, Elyse Frenchman, Matthew Henderson
Cinematographer: Bill Kirstein
Editor: Michael Levine
Music: Osei Essed, Saul Simon Macwilliams
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About Life Stories:
As a division of the Kunhardt Film Foundation, Life Stories a non-profit media organization that creates and distributes documentaries and interviews about people whose lives inspire meaningful change. Our films, interviews and educational content address issues of social justice, history, politics, arts and culture by shining the spotlight on relatable human stories. The aim of our YouTube Channel is to provide open access to all of our content for communities and classrooms.
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