Photo: Maya Deren (1917–1961) / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Maya Deren is, to me, one of cinema's true originals. Born in Kyiv in 1917 and educated at New York University, she became the beating heart of American avant-garde film in the 1940s. Meshes of the Afternoon still unsettles me with how dream and reality tangle like netting. What astonishes me is the range packed into one person: director, dancer, choreographer, editor, poet and theorist, recognized with a 1946 Guggenheim Fellowship. She died at only forty-four, which feels like a theft from film history. I regard her as an artist who expanded what the medium could even attempt.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Maya Deren
- Name (Japanese)
- マヤ・デレン
- Reading
- まや・でれん
- Born
- May 12, 1917 – October 13, 1961
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Snake
- Origin
- Kyiv, Kievan Rus'
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- film director / dancer / film editor / choreographer / film actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- New York University
Awards & achievements
- 1946 Guggenheim Fellowship
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Meshes of the Afternoon | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Maya Deren born?
May 12, 1917 – October 13, 1961.
Where is Maya Deren from?
Maya Deren is from Kyiv, Kievan Rus'.
What does Maya Deren do?
Maya Deren works as film director, dancer, film editor, choreographer, film actor.
What is Maya Deren known for?
Notable works include Meshes of the Afternoon.
Film director — see all → · Dancer — see all → · More people from Kievan Rus' →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.