Jonas Mekas death: Tributes paid to late director known as 'godfather' of American avant-garde cinema

He had worked with icons such as John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Janis Joplin and Andy Warhol

(Chuck Close)

Jonas Mekas, widely referred to as the godfather of modern avant-garde cinema in America, has died aged 96.

The Lithuanian-born filmmaker, who escaped a Nazi labour camp and became a refugee, rose to acclaim in New York and went on to work with John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Janis Joplin and Andy Warhol.

Mekas's death was announced on Facebook, with the post reading: "Jonas passed away quietly and peacefully early this morning. He was at home with family. He will be greatly missed but his light shines on."

The Anthology Film Archives, a New York-based nonprofit organisation that specialises in film preservation and was founded by Mekas, confirmed the news.

Mekas's loft in the city has become a place of legend. Salvador Dali visited the location, which became the subject of Mekas's film Salvador Dalí at Work.

The Velvet Underground rehearsed there and Mekas is said to have introduced a young Lou Reed to Warhol, who produced their first album.

Speaking to The Independent in 2017, Mekas said: "I came from war-time and post-war Europe where many things were forbidden. We were not familiar with what was happening in the arts in the so-called west, the modern United States.

"We came like dry sponges. We wanted to see and hear absolutely everything there was. We were hungry for culture.”

Admirers of Mekas's work include Martin Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch, John Waters and James Franco. Tributes from across the cinematic world have poured in for the filmmaker.

During his interview, Mekas offered one of his secrets to a long life: “I feel more like I am 70. I don’t feel that I am 95…I like all those things. I like women, I like wine but a certain moderation is needed in every area. I think that is one of the secrets.”