Veenusha Kirupakaran

"To: Myself" is a documentary film about my father's camcorder recordings of our childhood. His recordings feature our family members celebrating special occasions like birthdays. In response to this retro nostalgia, the use of exchanging family archives inspired me to create contemporary memorabilia for both my parents and myself.

The film details how my parents live their daily lives and domestic experiences as seen through my lens rather than that of my father and shows how occasions are staged from my perspective. The emotional approach of using the same camcorder is important to emphasize, as it expresses the lack of capture of parenthood once a child has reached adulthood. To portray the emotional impact of my parents' lives, the film emphasises how the camcorder can bridge the gap between their past and present, creating something to be treasured beyond physical memories. The shift in roles allows me to document our family interactions, emphasising the contemporary difference between how my family interacted when we were children and now.

The film features an interview with my father, who discusses why the camcorder is so important to our family and the history of his relationship with it. In response to his interview, I communicated through album photos taken by my mother and used visual storytelling to share my thoughts on the family. My parents are my primary resources because they can transcribe their memories and stories, which I couldn’t comprehend at the time when they lived. Understanding his narrative and expressing his camera movements through my lens is my visual response. In addition to comprehending the technical angles and shots they used, which were emulated in the final production, I revitalise a dairy-like entry through various media formats.