Exclaim! DVD review Read More
NON-THEATRICAL/ LIBRARY/ CLASSROOM/ PUBLIC PERFORMANCE RIGHTS please contact eileen@yaghoobian.com.

Died Young, Stayed Pretty is a candid look at the underground poster culture in North America. This unique documentary examines the creative spirit that drives these indie graphic artists. They pick through the dregs of America’s schizophrenic culture and piece them back together. What you end up with is a caricature of the black and bloated heart that pulses greed through the US economy. The artists push further into the pulp to grab the attention of passersby, plastering art that’s both vulgar and intensely visceral onto the gnarled surfaces of the urban landscape. The film gives us intimate look at some of the giants of this modern subculture. Outside of their own circle, they’re virtually unknown. But within their ranks they make up an army of bareknuckle brawlers, publicly arguing the aesthetic merits of octopus imagery and hairy 70s porn stars. They’ve created their own visual language for describing the spotty underbelly of western civilization and they're not shy about throwing it in the face of polite society. Along the way, they manage to create posters that are strikingly obscene, unflinchingly blasphemous and often quite beautiful. Yaghoobian shows these artists for what they are: the vivisectionists of America’s morbidly obese consumer culture.

posters above by Keith Herzik | TANXXX | Guy Burwell

poster above by Ron Liberti | Bryce McCloud | Darren Pasemko

Eileen Yaghoobian – Producer/Director/Cinematographer/Editor

Iranian-born Canadian filmmaker Eileen Yaghoobian has spent the past four years shooting her first, full-length documentary film DIED YOUNG STAYED PRETTY. This project is the pinnacle of her 10-year career in film and will premiere at the 2008 Montreal World Film Festival. Yaghoobian's formal training in filmmaking, 3D animation, theatre, and photography provided a foundation for her diverse career as a director, production designer, and set decorator for numerous independent productions in Canada and the United States. Yaghoobian's short films and videos have screened at national and international festivals as well as art exhibitions. Her Still Photography can be found in the permanent collections at the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris; and Art Bank: Canada Council for the Arts, Ottawa. She recently directed Tennesse Williams' play The Night of the Iguana in Boston. Yaghoobian has just completed the prestigious Lincoln Center Director's Lab 2008 and is in the midst of developing a feature narrative for her next feature film.

Check out Dead Zoo's Indiegogo Page! Currently in pre-production, we are raising funds to make a short film combining essential components of the feature project, DEAD ZOO.

Mark Greenberg – Music Composer

Mark Greenberg was a member of the band the Coctails (Hi-Ball/Carrot Top) in the early 90's and currently plays and records with Archer Prewitt (Thrill Jockey), and Eleventh Dream Day (Thrill Jockey) and Chestnut Station (Drag City). In addition to touring and recording bands in his home studio, Mark also makes music for use in video games, TV, the Internet, and films with his companies Mayfair Recordings and the Mayfair Workshop. He lives in Chicago with his wife Ann-Marie and their three beautiful children.

Pete Dionne – Visual Effects

Pete Dionne has spent the last seven years in the film industry as a VFX artist at Tehnicolor in Vancouver. A few of his highlights have been Slither, The Butterfly Effect, and It's All Gone Pete Tong. He has also worked on a number of independent music videos, including Black Rice's Into The Night and Sam Roberts' Hard Road.

“Captivating artifact of an era”
Read More.

— The Village Voice

“Raw -- an outlaw movie about outlaw artists”

— PETER RAINER, NPR

“DIY artists of every stripe, this is your movie” Read More.

— JOHN GRIFFIN, THE GAZETTE

“If Helvetica opened the doors to a mass audience for design, three new films are taking it one step further” Read More.

— PRINT MAGAZINE

GRADE: A!
“savvy and fun to watch”
Read More.

— JEFF MONK, UPTOWN MAGAZINE

“newest art on the block” Read More.

— PETER GODDARD, THE TORONTO STAR

"Striking!" Read More.

— DAVID BERRY, VUE WEEKLY

— JIM REYNO, METRO

“delightfully subversive” Read More.

— RICK GROEN, THE GLOBE AND MAIL

“Lewd, crude and gloriously foul-mouthed” Read More.

— SAM MCMILLAN, 50TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE OF COMMUNICATION ARTS

“Unexpectedly Excellent” Read More.

— VADIM RIZOV, SPOUT

“Mad collage of genuine originals” Read More.

— PETER MARTIN, TWITCH

“Yaghoobian uncovers a unique subculture filled with fascinating characters.” Read More.

— STEPHEN COOKE, THE CHRONICLE HERALD

“DYSP is a thoroughly enjoyable film.” Read More.

— JON MANDELL, ADBUSTERS

“...great doc about the rebirth of the mighty culture-subverting rock poster” Read More.

— JOHN GRIFFIN, THE GAZETTE

“Died Young Stayed Pretty is a fascinating look at the rock poster renaissance” Read More.

— MATT HAYS, MIRROR

“A beautifully shot doc that combines a home-video collage aesthetic with non-obvious editing, and some clever divergences...” Read More.

— MELORA KOEPKE, HOUR

“downright fascinating and provocative” Read More.

— JOSEPH BELANGER, IONCINEMA

CBC National Radio "Q"
Listen to the Podcast

Interview starts at 33:03

— HOST JIAN GHOMESHI

View Production Stills | Download Stills

Upcoming Events

Brooklyn Premiere!
Saturday, June 5 7:30 pm at Union Docs.
Presented on the evening by the Director with Special Guests -- Robert Newman, Joe Newton, Kayrock.

South Carolina Premiere!
Thursday, July 22 6:00pm
AIGA South Carolina presents at Nickelodeon Theatre, Columbia, SC
More Info

Past Events

Berlin Premiere! April 15th @ 10 pm at Moviemento Kino.
Tickets Information

Amsterdam Premiere!
Thursday April 8th at 8:10 pm - Wednesday, May 5th at SMART Project Space.
Ticket Information

SweetTalk Cph and Plant present the Scandinavian Premier! Tuesday, April 6 at 9:30 pm Grand Teatret, Copenhagen
Ticket Information

More Information:
Facebook Group
Facebook SweetTalk Page
Facebook Event Details

Airs in April in Canada on Super Channel
More Information

Grand Illusion Cinema, Seattle WA
Friday, Jan. 8th, 2010
More Info

Roxie Theater, San Francisco
June 29 - July 1st
Advance tickets

IFC CENTER, New York Premiere!
Friday July 17-Thusday July 23rd
Filmmaker & Special Guests in Person Opening Weekend
More Info

Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival
Thursday, JULY 23
San Diego, CA
More Info

Grand Illusion Cinema Seattle, WA
Dates TBA
More Info

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Remis Auditorium)
July 30th - August 7th
More Info

Cinema 21 Theater Portland, OR
Wednesday, August 25th
More Info

Gallery Visio and UM - St. Louis AIGA
Wednesday, September 2nd

Belcourt Theatre, Nashville Tennessee
Thursday, September 3rd
More Info

Chattanooga, Tennessee
Friday, September 4th
More Info

Brooks Museum, Memphis, Tennessee
Saturday, September 5th
More Info

Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
Monday, September 8th
More Info

Cine-Athens, Georgia
Wednesday, September 9th
More Info

Atlanta, Georgia
Thursday, September 10th

Bellevue University, Omaha, Nebraska (AIGA)
Saturday, September 12th
More Info

USC Roski School of Fine Arts
Monday, September 14
More Info

Aero Theatre, Santa Monica, CA
Thursday, September 16th
More Info

Denver Film Society at the Starz Film Center
September 17 - 24th
More Info

Cornell University, Ithaca NY
Tuesday, September 22nd
More Info

Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, OH
Wednesday September 23rd
More Info

Corcoran Gallery, Washington, DC
Thursday September 24rd
More Info

The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque
Friday September 25th & 26th
More Info

The Dryden Theatre, Rochester, NY
George Eastman House
TBA
More Info

Music Box Theatre, Chicago IL
Wednesday, September 30th
More Info

Walker Art Center & Sound UnSeen
Thursday, October 1st
More Info

Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, MI
September 25th
More Info

Ringwald Theatre Ferndale, MI (Detroit AIGA)
Thursday, October 8th
More Info

Institute of Contemporary Arts (London)
UK Release! October 9th
London, UK
More Info

Moore College of Art & Design, Philadelphia, PA
Tuesday, November 17th
More Info

Latest Press Release

SXSW Film Festival

In the News

Submarine Channel
indieWIRE
Spoutblog
SXSW
Mcgill Daily
Juxtapoz
Television Business International (TBI) magazine
The Daily IFC.COM
Uptown Magazine
Metro
Hollywood North Report
Creativity Online
Step Inside Design Magazine
Communication Arts
Exclaim Magazine
Paste Magazine
LiquidTreat.com Review

Press Gallery

Download Stills

Press Contact Info

Eileen Yaghoobian
Producer, Director
eileen@yaghoobian.com

People who helped with the film!

Music Composer: Mark Greenberg

Visual Effects: Pete Dionne

Seattle DOP: Mahlon Todd Williams

Seattle Sound Mixer: Millar Montgomery

Sound Editer & Mixer: Doug Woods

Additional Sound Editing: Melody Drolet

Titles: Francis Hanneman

End Credits: Line Severinsen

DVD cover design: Darren Pasemko

Copywriter: Michael Rigler

Coctails: Carrot Top Records

To find out more about the poster people in my film visit Clayton Hayes' Gigposters!

Some of the people in my film!

Brian Chippendale • Art Chantry • Print Mafia • Andrew Bird • DMBQ • Clyde Jones • Ron Liberti • Tom Hazelmyer • Stephen McClellan • Bryce McCloud • Seripop • Ames Bros • Methane Studios • El Bado/William Ballard • Tyler Stout • Rob Jones • Jay Ryan • Mat Daly • Nick Butcher • Keith Herzik • Steve Walters • Shawn Wolfe • Noel Waggener • Jeff Kleinsmith • Mig Kokinda • Dale Flattum • Mike King • Dan Schlissel • Stainboy • Uncle Charlie • American Poster Institute

Died Young, Stayed Pretty was completed in part through the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

info@diedyoungstayedpretty.com

Facebook MySpace

More work by Eileen Yaghoobian, vist Yaghoobian.com