“A portrait-chronicle of itself” — Susan Sontag, In Plato’s Cave, p. 9
Susan Sontag writes that “through photographs, each family constructs a portrait-chronicle of itself—a portable kit of images that bears witness to its connectedness.” I found the word constructs particularly compelling. People like to pretend photographs reveal who we really are. They don’t. They reveal who we have decided is worth photographing.
As the principal financier of A Portrait-Chronicle of Itself, I found it important that the film’s poster communicate one simple principle: identity is an asset, and assets must be managed. The fragmented face in the center of the poster is not a mistake. It is an efficient representation of the modern self. Why settle for one face when you can assemble the most desirable features from several?
The photographs are deliberately layered and misaligned, creating a single portrait from multiple identities. The result is a person who does not technically exist, which is precisely the point. Every photograph represents a decision about what should be seen, remembered, and eventually believed. The handwritten annotations and arrows further emphasize that this portrait is being edited in real time. Even the question “of itself?” suggests that the identity being presented may not belong entirely to the person being represented.
This is, of course, a principle I understand quite well. My own biography has undergone several rounds of strategic optimization. Depending on the audience, I have occasionally been described as an entrepreneur, investor, self-made businessman and visionary. The underlying facts are less important than the consistency of the presentation.
Sontag’s argument therefore extends beyond family photo albums. It applies to the way we construct ourselves through photographs, social media, professional biographies and even personal mythology. We do not simply document ourselves; we curate ourselves. The poster’s traditional film credits are intentionally excessive. “Directed by,” “Production by,” the festival laurels, and the cast list make the project resemble a prestigious cinematic production, while simultaneously turning the poster itself into another act of self-presentation. Naturally, I have placed my own name prominently within it.
After all, if you are going to construct a portrait of yourself, you might as well make sure the right person gets the credit.