Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 18:16:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Heather A. Macmillan" <ham0459-AT-is.NYU.EDU>
Subject: Confessional Doc Narratives


Hello Ms. Talukdar, 

My name is Heather Macmillan, a Ph.D. candidate in Cinema Studies and
Culture, Media and History at NYU, and I work on theoretical issues and do
video production around issues of gender, sexuality, race, violence, and
their intersections. I saw your peice at the Mead Festical and was talking
about it to one of my professors last week.

 My production peice from last
year Visible Distance ( 20 minute video doc.) tried to look at issues
surrounding a sexual assualt without becomeing a "Victim Narrative".
Basically it became a truthful narrative, but skiped the blow by blow
narrative of the sexual assault- rather focused on the theoretical and
political as well as emotional choices I made. 

My Peice was really misunderstood all the way from the moment I decided to
work on it to the process of screening. No matter how much I tried to
explain to people that I was not in denial about what happened, but was in
a lot of pain and still choosing a non-confessional way of sorting it out-
this could not and is still not heard often.... 

My friend Regina forwarded this message to me thinking that we should
communicate. I am not a "Third World Woman" but think I get what you are
talking about in this case pretty well. I am shy about lists though so
please e-mail so I can feel like I am talking to a person and not
broadcasting my veiws for world wide criticism. I've paid enough for
making the video alread... lost friends ect....

Sincerely Heather Macmillan



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