A short documentary by Emily Sargent, Produced by Randan — Music composed by Stuart Fox
Jackie is a short documentary directed by Emily Sargent, commissioned by the Iris Prize Documentary Film Finance Fund. The film explores the remarkable life of LGBTQ+ pioneer Jackie Forster, founder of Sappho magazine and an underground architect of lesbian family-building networks at a time when being openly gay was deeply dangerous.
When exploring the tone for the score to Jackie, and looking at Jackie Forster’s early BBC career, I started experimenting with clarinet and flute in split fifths recorded with a ribbon mic to give a vintage warmth — a subtle nod to the sound world of 1950s–60s BBC music.
Once I had this simple fifth giving something I felt worked, I underpinned it with a tuned percussion ostinato in 14/8, and built it from there, keeping some nostalgic feel but adding momentum and purpose. It immediately felt like the right voice for introducing Jackie, her work, and her life.
From there, the sound developed organically — balancing that slightly formal, documentary-era texture with more modern musical elements that hinted at London in the 60s and 70s. Some moments needed a more optimistic feel, nodding to the nostalgia of 70s London, while leaving options open to switch the mood to more tense tones. I brought in vintage-flavoured guitars and hybrid orchestral textures to reflect both the warmth and the unease within her story.
Without going full period, or writing overtly emotional music, my aim was to shift fluidly between intimacy, tension, and quiet hope — echoing the layers of prejudice, resilience, and joy in Jackie’s journey.
Jackie premiered on 13 October 2025 at the Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Cardiff as part of the Opening Night programme.
