Defense Date

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts

Department

Photography and Film

First Advisor

Mary Beth Reed

Second Advisor

Sasha Waters Freyer

Third Advisor

Stephen Vitiello

Abstract

Film for Jeanette is an experimental documentary concerning grief, memory, and what remains of those who have left this physical plane. The film paints the portrait of my late sister, Jeanette Lee Goldberg, who died in a car accident when she was 19. What begins as a memorial becomes a celebration of her life and an exploration into the complexities of her character that led to her death. Jeanette’s story is told through interviews with family members, while the visuals, created with various alternative 16mm film techniques, depict my own journey through the filmmaking process. I was only 3 when Jeanette died, so this film has become as much about portraying her as it is about my own experience of getting to know my older sister for the first time.

The 30-minute film is accompanied by a separate 16mm expanded cinema installation, entitled Hum. The kinetic piece applies various visual motifs from the film, such as Jeanette’s violin practice, the cherry tree planted for Jeanette outside of her childhood home, and the naturally decayed 16mm motion-picture portraits of those interviewed. The installation engages with the history of lumia and sonic arts, responding to the likes of Michael Morley, Tony Conrad, and Rosa Barba to communicate the ecstatic complexity of grief and love intertwined.

Rights

© Brice Goldberg

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

5-4-2026

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