Karyn Kusama is an American film director who had her breakthrough with Girlfight, her first feature film. She wrote the screenplay and directed the film at age 27. It was released in 2000 and won the Director's Prize and the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as the Prix de la Jeunesse at the Cannes Film Festival. The independent feature film with a budget of around US$1 Million was critically well received. It brought in US$1,667,000. It took two years to find financing for the film. After financing fell through shortly before shooting began, Girlfight was fully financed by film-maker John Sayles whom she worked for as an assistant at that time. 

March 21st, 1968 in Brooklyn (Age 56)