Sabaah Folayan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sabaah Folayan
Folayan in 2017
Alma mater	Marlborough School Columbia University
Occupation	Filmmaker, activist
Notable work	Whose Streets? Look at Me

Sabaah Folayan is an American filmmaker and activist. She is known for making powerful documentary movies. Her first major film, Whose Streets?, was about the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Missouri. This film was shown for the first time at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

Sabaah Folayan: Filmmaker and Activist

Her Early Life and Education

Sabaah Folayan grew up in South Central Los Angeles. Her mother, Waberi, was a musician and artist. Sabaah also spent five years living in a country area in Hawaii.

In Los Angeles, she went to Marlborough School. This was a private school just for girls. She felt like she lived "between two worlds." One world was her school, and the other was her neighborhood. She saw a big difference between them, especially with poverty and unfair treatment in her community.

After finishing high school in 2009, Sabaah went to Columbia University. She studied biology and planned to become a doctor. But she also loved writing and theater in her free time. Today, Sabaah lives in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Making Films and Making a Difference

Whose Streets?: A Powerful Story

In 2014, Sabaah Folayan went to Ferguson, Missouri. This was during the protests that happened after a police officer shot and killed Michael Brown. She first thought about writing news articles about what she saw.

However, Sabaah noticed that the news on TV didn't show the full story. She told Filmmaker Magazine that the news often focused on exciting parts. It didn't always get to the real truth or help people talk about things.

So, she decided to make a film instead. A film would allow her to explore the issues more deeply. She worked with Lucas Alvarado Farrar, a friend from college. She also worked with Damon Davis, an artist from St. Louis. Sabaah felt it was important to have someone from the local community help tell the story.

The film, Whose Streets?, was directed and written by Sabaah. Damon Davis was a co-director. It was shown at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Many critics praised the film. They said it showed the events from the point of view of the people who lived through them. It was different from how mainstream news often showed things.

For example, a reviewer from The Guardian said the film avoided typical news stories. It used images directly from the people who were there. Another reviewer from The Hollywood Reporter said Sabaah's strong connection to the topic made the film feel very urgent. In August 2017, the film was released in theaters.

Look at Me: Another Documentary

On February 2, 2022, it was announced that Sabaah Folayan would direct another documentary. This film is called Look at Me. It is about the late rapper and singer XXXTentacion. The film was released on Hulu on May 26, 2022.

Other Projects and Inspirations

Sabaah Folayan was also a main organizer for the New York City Millions March. This big protest happened in December 2014. It was against police killings after Eric Garner's death. Many thousands of people attended the march.

Sabaah learned a lot about organizing from her time in Ferguson. She believes that making a difference means more than just going to protests. It also means attending meetings, being creative, and planning for the long term.

Before going to Ferguson, Sabaah worked with people who used to be in prison. She interviewed them, and these talks greatly influenced how she tells stories. Sabaah also said that the film The Square inspired her. That film is about the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.

Sabaah also directed the first episode of Get Schooled. This is a video series by Glamour Magazine. It shows girls who overcome big challenges to get an education. She interviewed a teenager named Kylie from Kansas for the episode.

Awards and Recognition

Sabaah Folayan received a lot of support for her film Whose Streets?. She was chosen for special programs at the Sundance Film Festival. These programs help filmmakers with editing, sound, and producing.

She also received help from important groups like the MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation. In 2016, Filmmaker Magazine named her one of the "Twenty Five New Faces of Independent Film." Independent Magazine also listed her as one of "10 Filmmakers to Watch."

In 2017, Sabaah was named the Vimeo Share the Screen Fellow. This was at the IFP's Made in NY Media Center.