IN LIMITED RELEASE! In A Photographic Memory, Rachel Elizabeth Seed (director/writer/producer) presents an engaging documentary about her mother, photographer Sheila Turner Seed. Sheila died suddenly in 1979 of a brain aneurysm when Rachel was 18 months old; subsequently, Rachel has few direct memories of her mother. When Rachel discovered 50+ hours of interviews conducted by Sheila with the greatest photographers of the 20th Century, she wondered if she might have found a way to get to know her mother through more than the photographs and her father’s memories.
Sheila interviewed luminaries of the photography world, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Lisette Model, Gordon Parks, Cecil Beaton, William Albert Allard, Brian Lanker, Cornell Capa, Bruce Davidson, and Eliot Porter. Sheila was a daring, world-traveling journalist ahead of her time, pushing forward achievements for women well in advance of the progress of the second wave of feminism. This was an isolating, lonely life for Sheila, despite her global adventures. She, however, still insisted on her independence, staying single and child-free into her 30s, which in itself was a subversive act. In this journey, Rachel revisits her mom’s family, friends, and the remaining living subjects Sheila interviewed decades before.
As the documentary unfurls, it becomes clear that Rachel is also seeking to understand and rationalize her own life. Her father, Brian Seed, was also a photographer for Time-Life, and she questions why she chose the same path in her career (and her passion) as both her parents. It turned out to be a fruitful decision, as her career has been successful.
Portrait of Sheila Turner Seed, circa 1969. Photographer unknown. Courtesy of Capariva Films and Zeitgeist Films in association with Kino Lorber.
“…Sheila died when Rachel was 18 months old, leaving her with few direct memories of her mother…”
In an interview with Filmmaker magazine, Rachel discussed her initial impulse to make this documentary. “The catalyst for the film was the moment when I heard my mother’s voice for the first time since I was a baby, via her interviews with various iconic 20th-century photographers. My goal when I started was to know her better and to see if I could build a relationship with her through the work she created and left behind. I soon realized, though, that people watching the film needed me to be the guide to knowing her, through my own experience of discovery along the way. “
If the film has a flaw, it would be the focus on Rachel’s biographical memories and impressions. These parts feel solipsistic, and when it comes down to it, it’s almost like being subjected to a stranger’s home movies and photo albums. Where the doc shines is in the old material with Sheila in her interviews. That’s not to say we aren’t sympathetic to Rachel’s life, but she is not as well-known as Sheila and her subjects. Rachel’s journey, when described in the context of discovering her mother, is the solid gold heart of the film.
Watching the doc is a dizzying experience, deep and rich with photos and fascinating cultural notes from the ’60s and ’70s. Insights from people interviewed in the present day, as well as the tapes of her mother’s interviews, are treasures. One could watch this amazingly layered film repeatedly and find a new highlight with each viewing.
A Photographic Memory will have a limited theatrical release at the Culture Vulture Series at Laemmle Theatres throughout the Los Angeles area June 14-16, the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago June 20-26 and in New York City at New Plaza Cinema June 27-29 and DOC NYC Selects at IFC Center on June 30.
"…discovering her mother is the solid gold heart of the film..."
