I Traveled 2 Years to Give It to You – 2019
 
Film epitaph, 02:27, 16mm film.
 
Created by Sae Yong Lee
 
Photos: screenshots from the film

This short film serves as an epitaph for my alma mater, San Francisco Art Institute, one of the oldest art schools west of the Mississippi River, founded in 1871. The school closed in 2020 due to severe financial difficulties exacerbated by the global pandemic. The film reflects my memories and the sense of belonging I developed over my two years there—the place, the people, and the neighborhoods I experienced. It is a memoir in hindsight, marking a personal departure and representing my voice as an independent artist.

The film was shot on a Bolex 16mm camera using a Tobin Time Lapse (TTL) motor. This motor enabled a variety of technical options, allowing me to adjust the camera’s frames per second (FPS) settings between 0.25 and 75. The film was shot on 1 FPS, which produced elongated cinematography reminiscent of the step-printing technique.

Screening history:
- "Cultural Cannibalism," screened at Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA, 2019.