Darren Aronofsky to Head Margaret Mead Film Festival Jury

The Margaret Mead Film Festival, which will be held November 10th through 13th, 2011 at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History, is the longest running international documentary film festival in the United States. Since 1977, the MMFF has been dedicated to presenting audiences with the best in nonfiction film from around the world.

To celebrate the fest’s 35th anniversary, this year’s fest will feature hit docs from past events, including Les Maîtres Fous (The Mad Masters) by Jean Rouch and Trance and Dance in Bali by Gregory Bateson and festival namesake Margaret Mead. MMFF is also collaborating with the Museum of Natural History to present a series that will accompany the Museum’s Beyond Earth: The Future of Space Exploration exhibit. In addition to its birthday festivities, MMFF has announced that Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky will head the jury at this year’s festival. Aronofsky and the other jury members (who have yet to be announced) will determine which documentarian’s work demonstrates the originality, innovation and cultural significance worthy of the coveted Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award, which will presented on the closing night of the festival.

For more information on the Margaret Mead Film Festival, visit http://www.amnh.org/programs/mead/.