Portrait of MeMe
Ten years after the sudden death of her grandfather, Alabama-born filmmaker Amelia Ray unravels her grief by going to Coosada, Alabama for a visit with her 76 year-old grandmother “MeMe.”
A gentle snapshot of Southern womanhood, Portrait of MeMe is an intimate examination of familial grief and an exercise in unpacking the intergenerational effects of death.
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Amelia RayDirector
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Aaron Cecil PriceProducerRural Revival
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Shin Yu LiuProducerThe Longing for a Familiar Stranger
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Jackson Ross CropperProducerKillers of the Flower Moon
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Lynn SiewProducer
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Alia Elise TooraniEditor
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Kate "MeMe" Young HoustonKey Cast
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Project Type:Documentary, Short, Student
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Runtime:23 minutes 3 seconds
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Completion Date:June 14, 2023
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Production Budget:2,450 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:1.90:1
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:Yes - Savannah College of Art and Design
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George Lindsey UNA Film FestivalFlorence
United States
March 2, 2024
Alabama Premiere
Student Documentary Finalist -
Imo International Film FestivalImo
Nigeria
Nigerian Premiere
Official Selection -
Five Continents International Film FestivalBarcelona
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuelan Premiere
Official Selection
Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, Amelia Ray is fascinated by the patchwork of stories that make up the American South. She is a Film/Television Alumni from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with a focus on nonfiction filmmaking and cinematography. Through her directorial work, she seeks to capture the nuances of Southern folks’ lives and experiences. Her previous short film Portrait of Meme, was awarded ‘Best Student Documentary’ at the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival. She has also worked in the field on two independent documentaries in Alabama–– one centering the work of local folk artist Tony Bingham, and another following the battle of R.A. Hubbard Highschool to stay open. The idiosyncrasies, tensions, and mysticism of the South heavily inspire her work.
With “Portrait of MeMe,” I wanted to investigate the human experience of grieving, using my own experience as the framework. My first experience with death was a traumatic, confusing, crippling event. It shaped much of who I am and how I process and deal with difficulty.
Ten years later, I began imagining a piece that celebrates my grandmother’s life— perhaps a subconscious attempt to begin processing her eventual death. Throughout development, I realized I hadn’t considered what MeMe’s experience grieving her husband was like, because I was entrenched in my own grief. I saw this as an opportunity to have an honest discussion— through the lens— about what we felt, how we chose to deal with it, and what parts we hid from each other. I am interested in the things we keep from one another and what motivates us to do so.