A Certain Sacrifice is a 1985 American drama film co-written and directed by Stephen Jon Lewicki and starring Madonna, Jeremy Pattnosh and Charles Kurtz. It was Madonna's first movie, filmed from September 1979 through June 1981, but not released until 1985.A Certain Sacrifice is an independent-underground art film, shot on-and-off over two years in New York City on a low-budget of just $20,000. Madonna finished her scenes in late 1980. The video release sold 50,000 copies in its first-week, and the film developed a certain cult status among some of Madonna's fans and collectors by that time.