Ben Van Meter among Lawrence Jordan, Robert Nelson and Lenny Lipton is one of the co-founders of notable distributor of Avant Garde Cinema Canyon Cinema Inc. in 1967. Canyon Cinema is located in San Francisco. His work is understated and has often been ignored in the history of experimental cinema. Tonight’s program is a tribute to Ben Van Meter and his contributions to the avant scene of San Francisco during the 60s. Ben passed away in August 2019.

Ben Van Meter began making films and light shows in the mid-1960s in San Francisco and soon became a leading figure in Bay Area-underground filmmaking. His films, especially S.F. Trips Festival, An Opening (1966) and the epic Acid Mantra or Rebirth of a Nation (1968), are compelling attempts to visually and sonically inscribe psychedelia, as experience and philosophy, in the medium of film. Van Meter’s films were unavailable for many years, but their ongoing restoration by the Academy Film Archive and their inclusion in the de Young Museum’s 2017 exhibition, The Summer of Love Experience: Art, Fashion, and Rock ‘n’ Roll, has gained them a new audience.

Tonight’s program will contain work from his DVD collection of films called “Rebirth of a Nation (Ex-Spirit-Mental Cinema of the Sixties)”. The films will include:
The Poon Tang Trilogy (1964) 9 minutes, Colorfilm (1965) 9 minutes, Bolex Peyote Bardo (1965) 11 min, Up Tight, L.A. Is Burning…Shit! 20 min (1966), S.F. Trips Festival, An Opening 9 min (1966), Me & Bruce & Art 6 min (1967), BE 8 min (1967), Go Where The Kids Go, 3 min (1967/2008).

Also included is “Interview with Ben Van Meter May 22, 2018 Lakeport, CA”. This is an interview of Ben screened along with his film “Acid Mantra” 1967. A Zeb and Mister WA Production