Invocation: Maya Deren (1986) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language

1986 · 53 mins · English

Directed by

Jo Ann Kaplan

Starring

Helen Mirren, Jonas Mekas, Maya Deren, Alexander Hammid, Amos Vogel, Stan Brakhage

Maya Deren, a legend of avant‑garde cinema, is explored in this authoritative biography that combines excerpts from her groundbreaking short Meshes of the Afternoon and her unfinished Haitian documentary, recordings of her lectures, and interviews with fellow innovators Stan Brakhage and Jonas Mekas. Narrated by Helen Mirren, the film provides vivid insight into Deren’s multifaceted work as filmmaker, poet and anthropologist, cementing her place as one of cinema’s most intriguing figures.