A pair of films from the "Queen of Underground Cinema" which tackle the coming-of-age genre with radical politics and a raw DIY approach.
This program features two films from the “Queen of Underground Cinema,” Sarah Jacobson. Jacobson was admired in the independent film scene of the 1990s for her adamantly self-starting approach: with the help of her mother, she financed, distributed, and marketed her films completely outside of the film industry’s corporate structure.
I Was a Teenage Serial Killer (1993): Mary has killed 19 men, one for every year she’s been alive, and she shows little interest in stopping. This explosive send-up of the coming-of-age story is delightfully raucous and fueled by a cathartic release of pent-up anger. [27 min; comedy, horror; English]
Mary Jane’s Not a Virgin Anymore (1996): Mary Jane’s Not a Virgin Anymore is punk rock’s response to the Hollywood teen romance. Shot on Super-8 and made for just $12,000, Sarah Jacobson’s only feature film fully embraces her lo-fi, no-budget aesthetic. [98 min; comedy, drama; English]
"There's no doubt in the minds of anyone that [Sarah Jacobson] greatly helped stoke the flames of the guerilla and indie filmmaking movement while becoming a voice for grrrl-positive cineastes everywhere." — Marc Savlov, The Austin Chronicle
"Mary Jane's Not a Virgin Anymore is a striking example of a bold and empowering female narrative." — Emily Sears, Birth.Movies.Death.
"Is [Mary Jane's Not a Virgin Anymore] the best film ever made about sexual coming-of-age? It may well be!" — Marya E. Gates, Cool People Have Feelings, Too
Any film screened at IU Cinema may contain content that viewers find sensitive or upsetting. Visit our Audience Advisories page to learn more.
