Rachael Labes:

 

 

 

I am a writer and a filmmaker who works with a variety of media including analog and digital photography and film, screenwriting, and prose fiction writing. As an artist, I have always been interested in using my own personal experiences to create a body of work that represents who I am. My practice has always been rooted in realism; my approach to storytelling often emphasizes structure and character driven narratives, with a humorous and critical eye on dominant social structures that influence our lives. My final project at Wellesley, Traces, is an exploration of the past and present that, like me, is divided, complex, and always changing.

 

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Traces is an experimental documentary that explores the relationship between the past and the present through the story of Rachael, a senior at Wellesley who embarks on a journey of self-discovery through researching the history of lesbians at Wellesley College. The film explores the construction of historical narratives, blending reality and fiction in an effort to preserve both the institutional memory of the past while, at the same time, constructing a narrative of the present. I came into this project with more questions than answers. Was there something special about Wellesley, specifically for the queer community? What was the experience of lesbians at Wellesley in decades prior? How do I fit into these historical narratives as I construct my own identity in this space?

 

As a result of the new circumstances of this semester, my vision for this piece changed and I was forced to expand my view beyond Wellesley and reflect on my relationship to the changing world around me. With my separation from Wellesley, it became part of my own past, thus changing my relationship to the place. Ultimately, Traces is a conversation between the past and the present; a documentation of history that, like all histories, tells a constructed narrative through a projected understanding of reality. The film asks viewers to consider the narratives presented while looking inward, considering their own role in our collective past and future.

 

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