Sarah Jacobson facts for kids

Sarah Jacobson (August 25, 1971 – February 13, 2004) was an American film director, writer, and producer. She was known for making independent movies with a "do-it-yourself" (DIY) spirit. Sarah's films often explored themes important to young women. She became a key figure in underground cinema.

Early Life and Education

Sarah Jacobson was born in Connecticut in 1971. Her family moved to New Jersey in 1975. Later, in 1982, they moved to Edina, Minnesota. She finished high school with honors in Edina in 1989.

Sarah first went to Bard College. In 1991, she moved to the San Francisco Art Institute. There, she studied film, which was her passion.

Her Career in Film

Sarah Jacobson made several films that were shown at big events. Her movies were well-received at film festivals. These included the New York Underground Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival.

Spin magazine named her one of the "Top Influences on Girl Culture." Film Threat magazine also called one of her films a "must-see" underground movie. Famous film critic Roger Ebert praised her work. Filmmaker Allison Anders and Kim Gordon from the band Sonic Youth also spoke highly of her.

Sarah's films were reviewed in major newspapers. These included The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Her personal papers, which include interviews and reviews, are kept at New York University.

Mary Jane's Not a Virgin Anymore

One of Sarah's most famous films was Mary Jane's Not a Virgin Anymore. It was a low-budget movie. Sarah promoted it herself, which was part of her "do-it-yourself" style. This film helped her gain recognition in the independent film world.

The movie starred Lisa Gerstein and Beth Allen. They were from the band The Loudmouths. Music from bands like Babes In Toyland and Mudhoney was featured in the film. Musician Jello Biafra also made a small appearance. After this film, Sarah directed music videos for bands like Man or Astroman and Fluffy.

DIY Filmmaking and Writing

Sarah Jacobson strongly believed in the DIY (do-it-yourself) approach to making films. This means making movies without a big studio. She wrote articles about this topic for several publications. These included Punk Planet and Indiewire.

She also helped with Joanie4Jackie. This was a film zine (a small, self-published magazine) created by Miranda July. It helped show films made by women independently. Sarah also took part in DiY Fest. This was a traveling film festival that celebrated the do-it-yourself spirit.

Sarah wrote the S.T.I.G.M.A. Manifesto. S.T.I.G.M.A. stands for "Sisters Together in Girlie Movie-Making Action." It was a guide for women making films.

Sarah also wrote a script for a movie called Sleaze. It was about an all-girl band on tour.

Her Passing

Sarah Jacobson passed away in New York City on February 13, 2004. She was 32 years old. She died from endometrial cancer.

Her Legacy

After Sarah's death, many people remembered her impact. Marc Savlov wrote in The Austin Chronicle that she helped grow the independent filmmaking movement. She also became a voice for young women who loved movies.

New York Press called Sarah Jacobson the "Queen of Underground Cinema."

To honor her, the Sarah Jacobson Film Grant was created. Her friend and fellow filmmaker Sam Green started it. This grant helps young female and gender-nonconforming directors. Sarah Jacobson's papers and works are kept at the Fales Library at New York University.

A collection of Sarah's films was released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2019. This helped more people discover her important work.

Filmography

• Sweet Miss: The Disco Years (1988)
• Road Movie (Or - What I Learned In A Buick Station Wagon) (1991)
• "Sferic Waves" - Man or Astro-man? (music video) (1996)
• Technicolor-Yawn-Fluffy (1996)
• Mary Jane's Not a Virgin Anymore (1996)
• The Making of Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (2000)
• Bra Shopping (2002)
• High School Reunion (2003)
• True Love Mohawk