Personal Memory Film : Emotional, Beautiful, Sincere Video Editor

I’m looking for a very talented video editor / storyteller to create a deeply personal film from years of photos and short videos of a relationship. The goal is not a flashy montage and not a cheesy romantic video. I want something that feels genuinely human, intimate, emotional and sincere, a film that makes someone remember what is real and beautiful about our shared life. I have a large archive of photos and short videos from trips, everyday life, family moments, funny moments, holidays, dinners, etc. A major part of the job is having the taste and judgment to go through a lot of material and identify the few moments that actually matter. I do NOT want: - generic slideshow transitions - excessive effects - motivational / wedding-video clichés - AI-looking editing - five minutes of photos simply appearing one after another I DO want: - strong storytelling - excellent photo/video selection - emotion created through real moments rather than effects - subtle use of music - humor IF/WHEREappropriate - natural pacing - small details and imperfect moments that make it feel alive - creative editing ideas when they genuinely improve the story Examples of things I like: letting an original video moment breathe instead of cutting too quickly, using silence when it is stronger than music, matching different moments across several years, subtle callbacks, funny contrasts, or occasionally using techniques such as slow motion/reverse when there is a real creative reason for it. The chronology does not necessarily have to be linear. I’m open to a stronger narrative structure if you find one in the material. I will provide the source material and some context about important moments, but I want you to bring your own judgment rather than requiring me to select every photo and tell you where it goes. Initial target: approximately 4–7 minutes, but the story should determine the length. This is sensitive personal material, so discretion and confidentiality are essential. Please apply only if you have genuinely strong taste and storytelling ability. In your application, please send: - 2–3 examples of emotionally strong personal/documentary-style videos you personally edited - one example where you had to select the best material from a large amount of footage/photos - a few sentences about how you would approach this project - your estimate for reviewing a large archive and producing a first cut