Fragments of Paradise

Synopsis

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 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 US. Fragments of Paradise is an intimate look at his life and work constructed from thousands of hours of his own video and film diaries. It is a story about finding beauty amidst profound loss, and a man who tried to make sense of it all... with a camera.

Director Biography

KD Davison is an American filmmaker. Her third documentary feature, Fragments of Paradise, won a Lion for Best Documentary on Cinema at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival and a Grand Jury Prize at Doc NYC. She is driven by the sense that filmmaking can make us better.