As is rather obvious Maya Deren has been an inspiration to me. Part of it is that I connected with her work at a time when I was just starting out in film and somewhat overwhelmed by the aggressive male dominance of the whole enterprise (both art and industry). And there was Maya, this fierce, talented woman, making films, writing, traveling, and dancing in the 1950s of all times…It was a kick in the pants to stop whinging and get on with it.

Though better known for her experimental art films, one of Maya’s accomplishments that most impresses me is the work she did in Haiti. Starting in 1947 Maya used funds provided by a Guggenheim grant to travel to Haiti to film dance, rituals, and other elements of Voodoun culture. She made several trips over the next few years, eventually publishing a book on the subject, Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti; she died before she could complete the film, but her husband Teiji Ito posthumously finished and released a documentary with the same title. As with so many things, in this Maya too was ahead of her time. It is a gorgeous, cinematic exploration of an incredible country and culture that she clearly loved. Netflix it, y’all.

Last week I was lucky enough to catch a Haiti benefit at the YES gallery in greenpoint, BK. The show featured John Francis Peter’s amazing photography (shot just weeks before the earthquake) and steel drum metalwork by Haitian artists. One of the curators of the show, Nicolas Atkins, is connected to a hospital in Haiti where all proceeds were donated. For more information or to make a contribution visit the Hopital Albert Schweitzer.