Private Project

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.

  • Amelia Ray
    Director
  • Aaron Cecil Price
    Producer
    Rural Revival
  • Shin Yu Liu
    Producer
    The Longing for a Familiar Stranger
  • Jackson Ross Cropper
    Producer
    Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Lynn Siew
    Producer
  • Alia Elise Toorani
    Editor
  • Kate "MeMe" Young Houston
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    23 minutes 3 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 14, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    2,450 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.90:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Savannah College of Art and Design
  • George Lindsey UNA Film Festival
    Florence
    United States
    March 2, 2024
    Alabama Premiere
    Student Documentary Finalist
  • Imo International Film Festival
    Imo
    Nigeria
    Nigerian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Five Continents International Film Festival
    Barcelona
    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    Venezuelan Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Amelia Ray

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.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

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.