This is a film portrait of Jonas Mekas, one of the bestknown avante-garde filmmakers in the world.

Born in Lithuania in 1922, Mekas spent time in a concentration camp during World War II before emigrating to the United States with his brother, Adolfas, also an avante-garde filmmaker. For over half a century Mekas has been at the epicentre of New York's avante-garde. Managing to capture on film everyone from the Beat Poets, to Andy Warhol's Factory through to more recent figures such as Harmony Korine. In addition to making his own films, Mekas has worked as a film critic for The Village Voice, and has been an editor of Film Culture.

Meanwhile a Butterfly Flies is a testament to motion, the ways in which even the smallest event can touch everyone and everything, and Mekas, the grandfather and keeper of American independent film, is ever buoyant in this loving portrait. - Senses of Cinema

Julius Ziz has chosen to make this homage to the 'father' of the avant-garde in Mekas' own film style: breathless, poetic, zany, often moving, Mekas talks - and sings - and is nearly always inspiring.

-Rotterdam International Film Festival