Michelle Citron's "What's Wrong with This Picture?"

After reading this chapter by Citron, I admit I understand how Daughter Rite fits into our course and discussions of autobiography. The chapter is written in two parts that run next to each other and are related to one another but they are completely different writings in themselves. Daughter Rite similarly portrays two different videos going on - one with the narration and manipulated home videos, and the other being the story of the two sisters visiting their mother and recalling stories from their childhood and adolescence. Citron explains that the film communicates the universal idea of girls getting frustrated and upset with their mothers. The stories are not always her stories. Where do we locate the autobiographical aspect in this film? Is it merely in the manipulated home videos? What is interesting to me is how Citron uses Daughter Rite not only to describe her own frustrations about her mother, but she also uses the video (the home video bits) as a sort of therapy for herself and her mother. Hershman uses her diaries as a sort of "talk cure" where she talks out her problems. Retrospectively, Citron finds a clip from a home video where she somewhat inappropriately manhandles her sister (who feels uncomfortable about it), and this is where she locates her dealing with the incest she experienced. Her mother was able to talk to Citron about her own experiences with incest after viewing Daughter Rite, and instead of getting frustrated with her mother, they form a closer relationship. It reminds me of Benjamin's claim (I know, back to Benjamin) that the camera can act as a way to see more deeply - the idea of a psychoanalytic lens. Citron was able to see through the surface of what seemed to be two happy sisters interacting to better understand what was going on beneath the surface.