Born in Kyiv and raised in the United States, she became a pioneering avant-garde filmmaker and influential figure in experimental cinema during the 1940s and 1950s. With a background in dance and anthropology, she crafted films characterized by dreamlike narratives and innovative techniques. Her most renowned work, "Meshes of the Afternoon" (1943), explores themes of identity and perception. Beyond filmmaking, she was an advocate for independent film and contributed significantly to the development of film theory.