Brakhage

Brakhage is a living legend, possibly the most important film-maker of the avantgarde, and one of the greatest artists of our time. Since 1952, at the age of nineteen, Brakhage has created over 300 films, ranging from several seconds to several hours, constantly and consistently redefining the shape of film art. Brakhage explores the depth and breadth of the film-maker’s genius, the exquisite splendour of his films, his magic personal charm, his aesthetic fellow travellers and the influence his work has had on generations of other creators. While touching on significant moments in Brakhage’s biography, the film celebrates Brakhage’s visionary genius and explores the extraordinary artistic possibilities of cinema. Brakhage combines excerpts from Brakhage’s films and films by other avantgarde film-makers (e.g. George Kuchar, Jonas Mekas, Willie Varela, Bruce Elder); interviews with Brakhage, his friends, family, colleagues, and critics; archival footage of Brakhage spanning the past thirty-five years; and location shooting in Boulder, Colorado and New York. An original score was composed for the film by long-time Brakhage associate and noted avantgarde composer James Tenney.