I Love Sarah Jane is a 2008 Australian zombie horror short film directed by Spencer Susser and written by David Michôd and Spencer Susser.[1][2][3][4] The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on 15 January 2008.[5][6][7]

I Love Sarah Jane
Directed bySpencer Susser
Written byDavid Michôd
Spencer Susser
Produced byAngie Fielder
Nash Edgerton
Spencer Susser
Mike Seymour
StarringBrad Ashby
Mia Wasikowska
Vladimir Matovic
CinematographyAdam Arkapaw
Edited bySpencer Susser
Music byMichael Lira
Production
companies
Blue-Tongue Films
Aquarius Films
The Last Picture Company
Release date
Running time
14 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

In 2011, the short was reported to be under development to be turned into a feature film.[8]

Plot

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Jimbo is 13 and can think of only one girl—Sarah Jane. And no matter what stands in his way-bullies, violence, chaos, or zombies-nothing will stop him from finding a way into her world.

Cast

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  • Brad Ashby as Jimbo
  • Mia Wasikowska as Sarah Jane
  • Vladimir Matovic as Joey
  • Beau South as Rory
  • Peter Yacoub as Gram
  • Richard Mueck as Zombie
  • Anton Enus as Newsreader

Reception

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Critical response

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The film earned mainly positive reviews from critics. MarBelle of short of the week gave film the positive review said "The thing about ILSJ—co-written by Susser and David Michôd—is that if you were to strip away the high production values and outlandish world setting, there’d still be at its core a touching age-old story of teen awkwardness in relating to the object of your desire that places our hero Jimbo in the shoes of Kevin Arnold or Dawn Wiener before him, it’s just that their obstacles were slightly less brain hungry."[9] Amber Wilkinson of Eye For Film gave the film four out of five stars and said "With so many zombie features and, indeed, zombie shorts around, it's hard to make something that feels new, but by mixing up the trappings of a naturalistic coming of age drama with the horror, this short takes a different tack, breathing life and spirit into the undead."[10] Wesley Morris of Boston.com said that "Australian suburb where some parentless neighborhood kids torture a zombie. You wait for several minutes for the title to explain itself, which, in its sweet, jokey finale, it does."[11]

Awards and official selections

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Year Award Category Recipient Result
2008 Arizona International Film Festival Reel Frontier Merit Award Spencer Susser Won[13][14]
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival Canal+ Award (International Competition) Spencer Susser Won[15]
Nashville Film Festival Best Narrative Short Spencer Susser Won[16]
Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival Grand Prize for Short Film Spencer Susser Nominated[17]
Melbourne International Film Festival Most Innovative Australian Short Film Spencer Susser Won[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Film Review: I Love Sarah Jane (2008)". 9 January 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  2. ^ "I'M SHORT, NOT STUPID PRESENTS: 'I LOVE SARAH JANE'". Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Zombie short might become feature film thanks to Natalie Portman". Archived from the original on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Short Film #11 – I love Sarah Jane (2008) Spencer Susser". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  5. ^ "First Look: Hesher – I Love Sarah Jane director Spencer Susser's Feature Debut". 4 December 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  6. ^ "EVERYONE LOVES SARAH JANE: INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR SPENCER SUSSER". Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  7. ^ ""I Love Sarah Jane" coming out on itunes". 18 January 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  8. ^ "Spencer Susser Adapting His Zombie-Apocalypse Short 'I Love Sarah Jane' Into A Feature Length Film". Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  9. ^ "I Love Sarah Jane A TON OF FESTIVAL KUDO'S HAVE POURED IN FOR THIS SPECIAL EFFECTS-LADEN, POST-APOCALYPTIC, ZOMBIE-FILM. THAT IS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF ITS TWIST—IT IS ACTUALLY QUITE SWEET". Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  10. ^ "I Love Sarah Jane". Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  11. ^ Morris, Wesley (26 December 2008). "Short and sweet - at least, some of them". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "festivals and awards". Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  13. ^ "Adam Arkapaw wins 'Best Emerging Cinematographer' at the Camerimage Festival". Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  14. ^ "Horror Shorts Featured Director – Spencer Susser". Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  15. ^ "PitchFest TV". Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  16. ^ "Top awards announced for the Nashville Film Festival". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  17. ^ "PiFan - Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival". Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  18. ^ "MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL". Retrieved 18 May 2013.
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